This week has been a bit much. In good news, my book review came out in Science, and my first literary piece comes out at LitHub today (here https://lithub.com/women-writing-the-west/).
Other than that, I leave you with my (current) favourite quote and poem.
“One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.” –Freud
Wild Geese, by Mary Oliver
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
wee guy and i saw the geese flying northwest this afternoon while we were out on cypress doing the spring break parenting mum-and-son stuff. they were so noisy up above us – took a moment to orient ourselves in the right direction to watch them from the chairlift.
one day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will remind you of how strong and confident you are … but it takes some looking! – Amanda
It definitely takes some looking! So great that you saw the geese at Cypress. I imagine lots of people wouldn’t have noticed them fly over.
I can truly relate to the quote you shared. Congratulations on your publications.
Thanks Carolyn.