Monday, February 24, 2014

"Lessons from the Blue Heron"


Lessons from the Blue Heron

Like you, I wait,
but where you stand
motionlessly patient,
I'm in over-drive,
buried between boxes
and possessions.

With slow,
steady wingbeats
you descend
into shallows,
free to take off
unencumbered.

I repack boxes,
my pile
for Salvation's Army
grows larger -

my desire
to mirror your simplicity
a possibility -
if only I can survive
the process.

by Margaret Bednar, February 24, 2014

I will not be posting anything new for a week or two.  I will visit and comment, though.   We are REALLY purging this time, down=sizing, simplifying, putting our home up for sale, packing up TWO kids belongings as they are renting their own places … (how can that be?)

I adore taking nature walks and I admire the Blue Heron's grace and peaceful demeanor (if you can get close enough - they are buggers to photograph).   With six kids (two in college) and having been married for almost 24 years - we need to ENJOY ourselves more - it is so easy to get caught up in working for our possessions- not interested in that anymore!

And since this is 55 words, I will link this to Friday Flash 55.  

17 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

good luck with your simplifying!

21 Wits said...

I completely and totally understand, and just as you are, I am also trying yet again, to simplify too! For me it's a task so easy to begin, and one that takes due diligence to keep at! Good luck. Your photo capture is lovely!

Helen said...

SIMPLIFY has been my motto for many years .... good on you!

Kathryn Dyche said...

The lessons nature teaches us can be so beautiful. I've got a back for goodwill going at the moment that's threatening to burst open!

Maude Lynn said...

This is lovely, Margaret. Good luck with the simplifying!

Lisa Gordon said...

This is beautiful, Margaret, and I wish you all the very best in your down-sizing. See you when you return here! :-)

RMP said...

hmm...I was thinking as I approached the end that you might be able to find that peace and patience once the boxes were out of the way...something to look forward to, I hope.

George said...

A lovely poem, Margaret. Good luck in your new journey. Here's some good advice from the 19th century English designer and writer, William Morris: Get rid of everything that is not either useful or beautiful.

Anonymous said...

good luck, Margaret :) ~

hedgewitch said...

One of the most compelling things about the natural world is that most things know what they need to survive and don;t bother with much else--it's a simplicity that could be barren but instead is very rich. Good luck with dealing with years of possessions, Margaret--it's exhausting tabulating, valuing and choosing between them.

Other Mary said...

Ah, moving time is such a great time to simplify. I hope your move goes well and your back at your computer soon!

Alice Audrey said...

I wish! Everyone in my family is a hoarder, including me. I can purge my own stuff now and then, but I can't seen to get free of everyone elses.

G-Man said...

My Grandfather used to call all Herons and Cranes...Shite-Pokes.
(Drop the E...Figure it out)
Such a busy girl you are Margaret
Thanks for taking the time out of your Chaos to pen another marvelous 55.
Good Luck on the House...:-)
Thanks for playing, thanks for your support, have a Kick Ass Week-End

Unknown said...

I so need to go through and purge my storage unit. It's such an odious task, I have a very difficult time making myself do it.

Anonymous said...

it will be so liberating when you free yourself of stuff, Margaret. why, that will make you... a liberal!

ha! well, no. :) ~

Anonymous said...

It's scary how much stuff we accumulate. I really need to go through and "clear the clutter" again.

kaykuala said...

Something like this everyone needs to do, take a breather but many cannot do it.Wonderful take Marge!

Hank