REPOST: "WHEN I AM AMONG THE TREES"

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”

- Mary Oliver via Brain Pickings

RESPONSE: Mary Oliver can take a lot of the credit drawing me into poetry unannounced, surprised and grateful. I've read this poem before and can't love it more - the quotes from the trees, how can we disagree? We can't; I believe we've all been there. When we're blessed to hear them say, Stay.