Day 9 ~ These Trees

When I Am Among the Trees

~by Mary Oliver~

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness,
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, 

and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, "Stay awhile."
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, "It's simple," they say,
"and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, 

to be filled with light,

 and to shine."

Almost every morning for the past six months, these trees have greeted me ~
faithful sentinels of strength and wonder.

Countless hours have been spent simply soaking in their beauty and majesty.

I am overwhelmingly grateful for their presence in my life at this time.