you do not have to walk on your knees

The other day, I took a walk with my good friend and photographer, Shea Kluender.  It was the kind of day where everything seemed to be falling into place.  We walked against the December sky, catching up as friends do and thinking about the deeper meaning of things.  Something I said inspired Shea to share these lines from Mary Oliver’s poem, “you do not have to walk on your knees.”  Just as she said that, wild geese really flew over our heads. We stood there in awe of true things.  Later, we wandered inside a general store filled with homemade bread and handmade goods. There were tables and real books for conversations to spill around.  I asked Shea to read Oliver’s whole poem out loud, twice even. I saw that others around the room huddle closer to hear her clear voice.  The ease of simple ways and times was in the air.  We were all caught up in the current moment.  

 After we parted, I wandered into an antique shop, and an old man with a long beard struck up a conversation.  He thought I was a famous singer.  When he found out I was not, it did not matter.  He had something he wanted to show me.  He had found a watch without a face on it.  Immediately I said, “a timeless watch, I love it. “  Delighted that I understood, he went to the counter, ready to pay anything for it.  The owner of the shop said, “ I am not sure it's worth much, how about $3.00?”  The man was tickled, even better.  We continued to talk about small towns, finding treasures and even peace on the earth.  As I was walking out the door he said, “my name is Gil, be sure to find me next time you are in town.”

The experiences of this day linger along with the lines of Oliver’s poem. I wonder about things as I do. I realize some things will never grow old.  A life filled with love, friendship and fellowship, nature and time, movement and story will never be outdated.  No matter how fast the world spins in its crazy directions, we humans will always huddle close to these things. I find peace in that.   These December days have been quieter for me. It was not long ago I wrote about stillness being a movement. Somehow this day beckoned me to getting moving again. I am a believer in signs as you know, so I will take mine. If all of these experiences of the day were not enough, as I was driving back home that day, I stopped the car to witness this most glorious display of wild geese.