Days 319-320 Hints of Gladness

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
"and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”

–Mary Oliver, “When I Am Among the Trees” from "Thirst," (Beacon Press, 2006).

Contributed by Liz Sorensen Wessel

Photos by Liz, Vermont Autumn, Oct. 2013

Published by

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Categories: Reflections, Holidays, Spirituality

Tags: Erie Chapman Foundation, Liz sorensen Wessel, Mary Oliver, Radical Loving Care-The journal of Sacred Work

8 responses to “Days 319-320 Hints of Gladness”

julie laverdiere

November 16, 2013 at 9:03 am

The pictures are beautiful, Liz. I knew they were Vermont trees. Such a
simple message to follow, but cares and worries get in the way. Thank you so much for the reminder.

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Diana Gallaher

November 16, 2013 at 1:39 pm

Love this Liz. I am going to go out among the trees’ leaves now. They are about mid-calf deep in the yard, mostly from big oak and shaggy bark hickory trees.
Here is a nice essay on trees by Herman Hesse.
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/09/21/hermann-hesse-trees/
And here is another favorite topic – dogs – by Mary Oliver.
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/11/12/mary-oliver-dog-songs/

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~liz Wessel

November 16, 2013 at 4:50 pm

Diana, thank you so much for sharing both Hesse’s gorgeous essay as well as Oliver’s stellar poems on dogs. I thoroughly enjoyed both. I may post an excerpt from it later.

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Maureen McDermott

November 16, 2013 at 5:40 pm

Here I am immersed in Brauty of Woody Head where the ocean meets the trees. What a joy it is to wander slowly and to bow often. Thank you Liz for Mary’s poem and the magnificent photos.

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erie chapman

November 16, 2013 at 9:09 pm

My God, Liz. What stunning images of autumn. Vermont wears fall like no place else. Thank you for sharing the great Mary Oliver with us:
“I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.”
This is everything, isn’t it.

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-cg-

November 16, 2013 at 10:51 pm

Absolutely Beautiful. Liz you are a fantastic artist.

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Cheri Cancelliere

November 17, 2013 at 11:55 am

Thank you, Liz, for sharing such beautiful thoughts and your photos are visual delights! I must admit that I really do miss the change of seasons. This brings back so many beautiful memories from my childhood. The brisk scent of the forest. The stillness. The vibrancy. It’s good to take a break from my hectic, noisy, Southern CA world to remember the peaceful silence and beauty of the woods.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference” (Robert Frost)

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Woody Wessel

November 17, 2013 at 12:27 pm

Ah, Vermont in October. I forgot how lovely the trees are. With the weather no longer hot and still not the biting cold of Winter.

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