Wednesday, 14 December 2011

Mary Oliver one, Augustine zero

Posted to Multiply September 16 2011

It may be the long weeks of sunshine, late but welcome. 
It may be the transit of Jupiter in Taurus, my rising sign.

It may be the peace of being old enough to get government money without guilt or hassles, and having some finances sorted out so I have access to emergency cash and won't leave debt behind in case I suddenly kick the bucket.

It may be the fact that both my children are happy and doing well right now.

It may be that  Nutriflex by NAKA  is fixing my wonky hip so I can dig again.

But whatever the reason, I have been feeling a bit euphoric lately. Just happy with my life, warts and all. That doesn't mean I have no wishes, or have stopped learning. It just means I feel very content and grateful. Any thing more is total bonus.

So this quote by Augustine of Hippo posted by a Facebook acquaintance, stuck in my craw.

If you would attain to what you are not yet, you must 

always be displeased by what you are. For where you are 

pleased with yourself there you have remained. Keep 

adding, keep walking, keep advancing.

Contrast this to poet 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.



Now that's more like it.

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