A Poetry Offering from Aileen

Today I am grateful for the cooler, less humid air that greets us this morning, and for the opportunity to do some writing.

My sister Aileen is a writer, a wonderful and talented poet. With her permission, I am sharing one of her latest poems here: (I added the line breaks.)

Delight 
in tiny, specific, beautiful things
a sliver of sunlight
the whisper of cat whiskers
feathering my face.

Honor the overlooked 
among the ordinary
cloud scarves 
draping the chests 
of rusty Chugach mountains.

Practice enchantment 
in everyday endeavors
take comfort in clean dishes
drying after lunch. 

Consider reverence 
as a default setting 
joining the birds
in admiration 
of what is. 

There are many phrases within this poem that reach the core of my gratefulness, but my favorite guiding words are these:  "Practice enchantment in everyday endeavors."

It is my daily mission really. Joy in the mundane. Enchantment in the everyday. I have had my first sip of morning coffee thousands of times, but it doesn't make today's first sip unworthy of a pause and a show of appreciation.

I have walked past the flowers on our front patio many times already, but today I was intrigued by the everyday enchantment of the yellows, oranges, and reds that offset one another in the early morning porch light.

Thank you Aileen for your words, for the most meaningful reminder to notice what matters. Take the time to simply notice in a simple moment the tiny, specific things that deserve reverence.