Wild Geese
by Mary Oliver
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
Ready for another round of Memory Lane, the game where I ask you to sit through highlights of our digital past? I began with these first images in 2002. Then I was browsing more pictures and thought 'I may as well finish my look back and share more pictures.' The last post of old pictures finished with Max rolling in shaving cream. I think there will be one or two more series after today's and then I will be done. This will bring us to the end of 2004. After Maria was born, I was too exhausted to encrypt images any more, and of course lately I post lots and lots of pictures. The "remembering" is a treat for me. I like the random highlights and memory triggers.
A picture is so much more than one image. A picture can hold my hand and take me places, show me where I've been and remind me of places, people and feelings I hold dear.
We haven't been to this park in a long while. I think we should visit soon, look for ducks, hike and play. Picnic, anyone?
I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that these children, Tamsyn and Alex, have grown a lot. It has been three years since this picture was taken. Wow! They have grown a lot.
Adam did us the honor of erupting his volcano in our back yard, at the TreeHouse. Baking soda and vinegar; it never gets old!
Look at that smile. I miss these lemons. These were from our neighbor's tree and they are the best lemons ever. Anne, do you remember Lemon Saturday? It was delicious.
I miss our neighbor and friend, Tamsyn. We don't get to hang out as much. Sigh. Even though I didn't much love the Treehouse, I knew it would not be fun moving away from Tamsyn.
There's a story here. Anne and Chango. This is a friendship that began reluctantly and with trepidation, but Chango wooed his lady fair and finally, he won her heart. Patrick El Gato must be so grateful.
Are we just getting busier? Seems like we got together with friends more often, in the olden days. William and Jacob are hanging out at Max's 6th birthday party. Two cool dudes. Yes, definitely: Time to plan a picnic or a Lemon Saturday.
We could meet in a good tree climbing park, which we know Max would love.
And maybe we can even get the men folk to join us, because we love our men folk.
Pepper Tree Grove, a park in Balboa Park, would make a fun picnic spot.
Okay, so we've been sick and winter weather is not conducive to much outdoor play, but things are looking up around here and I am determined to get some friends together and go wild. I am inspired.
One last image until next time. This is a good example of what can happen when I am struck by inspiration. Foggy dawn at the train station. Where were we off to?
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