Refreshing the Soul

When I am beleaguered by the political situation or troubled by the controversies in the Church or disgusted by the lack of concern about environmental crises, I turn to poetry, particularly Mary Oliver’s poetry. She has a way of filling me with wonders of nature that calms my soul.

In her poem “Messenger”, she says, “Let me keep my mind on what matters,/ which is my work/ which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.” And she has all matter of things to be astonished about, “the phoebe, the delphinium, the sheep in the pasture, the moth and the wren, the sleepy dug-up clam.” In other words, all the seemingly inconsequential things that make our world livable and astounding.

It takes time to see into the heart of things as Oliver does. In her poem Invitation, she says:

“Oh do you have time/to linger/for just a little while/out of your busy

And very important day/ for the goldfinches/ that have gathered/ in a field of thistles.”

Most of us would go right past thistles and goldfinches in our busyness. We have more important things to do like solving the problems of the world and keeping track of those running for political office. For some it might be music or reading or art that lifts their spirits. Whatever refreshes and helps us experience peace and beauty is worth taking time for and makes life worth living.