I was going through some old papers this morning and found an old notebook that I used to use to copy down favorite quotes that I stumbled upon. About thirty-five years ago there was something in this poem written by W. H. Davies that touched me enough that I felt compelled to write it out. It speaks to me today even more than it did back then.
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare? —
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:
No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
Adn watch her feet, how they can dance:
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
Is there anything in this verse that inspires you as well?
Funny story to me…I am happy to say that I am one that does take time to stare at the night sky and gaze upon the stars. In fact I was just watching the Olympics with my son and we were watching cross country skiing, which I LOVE! I began cross country when I was 5 and raced onward from there. I could feel the motion in my muscles as I was watching the skiers and explaining to my 4 year old how he is going to ski like that. Of course, he looked at me and said, "I know how." Point is. When I used to ski I took too much time stopping during my races to watch the squirrels and the snow filter through the pine trees. I got the "Good Time Skier" award one year. 😉 Maybe I should post about this on my blog! lol Thanks for sharing that poem. Love it and my mini vacations that I take to gaze.
Linda –
Thanks for sharing this poem – I often take time out..but then feel guilty about all the other things left undone!
http://lifelinesjournaling.blogspot.com/
Many times I stop and watch nature here on the mountain, but, what I haven't let myself do, until recently, is stop to enjoy all the moments of the process of my book(s)–I needed to take a breath, and I am doing that *smiling*
It makes me realize how much too busy I am. Many days I don't stop to stare…
The chorus from a George Strait song says almost the same thing:
I've been to church
I've read the book
I know He's here, but I don't look
near as often as I should
Yeah, I know I should
His fingerprints are everywhere
I'd just slow down to stop and stare
opened my eyes and man I swear
I saw God today
Just the other morning I saw a lovely sunrise on the way to work. My first thought was "thanks for the postcard, God!" So often tied up in traffic I miss even that, but this day it was a great beginning to my day.
hugs, sid