Word Wednesday: Mary Oliver

Mary Oliver is one of those poets whose work is lauded and studied, but is also completely quotable - I've seen several of her more famous lines printed on posters or made into graphic art, but this is one of my favorites, from her poem "The Summer Day." It felt particularly apropos to use this quote as my first Word Wednesday of the new year.

"The Summer Day" is all about being present, possessing a mindfulness that allows you to take in the most insignificant (and beautiful) details of the world. Posing more questions than answers, the narrator wonders how to live in appreciation and recognition of the everyday as someone acutely aware of their ambitions and pressured by the limitations of time.

This quote is the narrator's final question, and I've always found it to be a powerful one: it puts the onus on the reader not just to think, but to act - to be and to do - to live, rather than simply exist, because we only get one shot at this thing. As we reflect on time past and consider our goals for the coming months, it feels like an appropriate time to ask ourselves what it is we're trying to make of our wild and precious life.

As always, I'd love it if you'd share the quote(s) you're loving lately with me!