WILDLY FREE ELDER
The Artistry of Aging
Day 11: Elder Muse – The Peace of Wild Things
Wood Drake Photograph by Allan Van Gasbeck/Fine Art America
Awakening early this morning I pulled back the curtain and spied a brilliant shining star not far above the Blue Ridge Mountains in the East. Curiosity took me to find out what it was called – Sirius, the Dog Star, which slowly faded from view as the light of day stole through the sunrise color streaked sky.
There is much to despair of in this world and if attended too frequently can cause us to lose our way. In this poem Wendell Berry brings us the antidote …..
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
~Wendell Berry
(Poem read by Wendell Berry below)
ABOUT ELDER MUSE – 31-DAYS IN DECEMBER, 2022
Taking responsibility for our own journey is at times incredibly challenging. For those of you who read this blog regularly you may have noticed there was only one blog post published from September-November.
I was on a journey of exploration and discovery on how it felt to work a temporary part time mainstream job 20-hours/week, as well as continue on with my own private house/pet sitting business at the same time. It seemed my writing and creativity went into a hibernation of sorts.
I became acutely aware of what is most important to me at this precious elder time of life..and what is not. What opens me to wholeness, creativity, compassion, beauty, peace of mind and love….and what shuts me down into scarcity and contraction in the midst, of “busyness”. .
From this short 3-month experience the “elder muse” made an appearance and patiently waited to reveal a plan to re-engage with creative artistry when the timing was right. Over the next 31 days you will receive a daily Elder Muse blog post accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention.
Case in point – Just now I almost missed this sunrise extravaganza while focused on the words instead of the ever transitioning beauty emerging right out the window…….
I appreciate that you will be along with me for this journey. Please feel free to make comments or add your own insights and humor…..
In Gratitude & Appreciation!
SIGN UP FOR THE WILDLY FREE ELDER BLOG POSTS HERE: https://wildlyfreeelder.com/blog/
DECEMBER 2022: ELDER MUSE BLOG POSTS: https://wildlyfreeelder.com/2022/12/