The Reason We Can Fly
Excerpt from the poem “Storage”
As I grew older the things I cared
about grew fewer, but were more
important. So one day I undid the lock
and called the trash man. He took
everything.
I felt like the little donkey when
his burden is finally lifted. Things!
Burn them, burn them! Make a beautiful
fire! More room in your heart for love,
for the trees! For the birds who own
nothing—the reason they can fly.
— Mary Oliver, 2015
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet
Today’s Invitation
Look around a room where you live. What things might get in the way of loving and listening to others? Donate or remove one item that is taking up room in your heart where love could be.
This Week’s Query
How does listening nurture your sense of oneness with Spirit, others, and the earth?
Read the source of today’s quote
This week’s messages are guest edited by Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR), a Quaker organization that works for equity and a life of dignity for all. RSWR programs promote partnerships with women in India, Guatemala, Kenya, and Sierra Leone and encourage those with diverse resources to embrace our shared responsibility for one another’s well being. Visit their website to learn more about RSWR’s virtual and in-person workshops.
