by Dace Starr
click to enlarge
After a lifetime of beginnings and endings,
I sit in wonder
And some relief
That nothing more is expected of me.
I am in charge of how the white calendar cubes get filled.
Or not.
No alarm clock to start my day
And it can unfurl at its own pace.
Occasionally, an old voice croaks
In its peevish pitch,
“Do something meaningful.
Be more useful!”
But my child’s voice replies
“Simmer down now”
And considers where I will discover my next moment of delight.
That first sip of morning tea watching the sky drop its dark cloak.
And the intoxicating freshness of the early moist air.
The samba beat of a jazz quartet on my new tiny speaker.
Walking on a golden carpet of leaves past an alley
Where a dozen pink flamingoes stand among wild red poppies
A whimsical gift for all who pass by.
The curly-haired child on the number 14 bus singing
“The wheels on the bus” to the delight of everyone around her
Even the sad, tattooed teen looking up from his phone.
My slower, simpler days have revealed
What was always there for me
To notice and savour
The abundance of miraculous simple gifts.
Dace Starr participated in the Callanish retreat in November 2014 and continues to benefit from the wisdom and kindness of others who attend Callanish gatherings. She has worked for 37 years in libraries across the country, and lived in 21 different locations. She now lives more simply and peacefully - meditating, reading, writing, singing and occasionally cooking with her son.