My Journey

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been reading and rereading a poem by Mary Oliver entitled The Journey. Actually, I’ve been doing more than reading, I’ve been savoring it. I’ve been bathing in the beauty of her words.

Something about her poem speaks to a place in me that cannot be defined (very well) with words.

Her poem, just like life, is complex and multifaceted. There’s a line in a movie, maybe Jerry McGuire, “You had me at hello.” (lame movie, great line) – Well, she had me at the title. I often refer to life as a journey; it brings me solace to know that where I am today is not where I may be tomorrow. A journey is such a poetic, yet honest, way to refer to life. No destination required.

I take on many different roles in this life. The role of mother, educator, wife, daughter, sister, friend – but my journey, as of late, has been a journey of me. An important journey. A journey that has been vital to the survival of all these other roles. Mary Oliver’s poem epitomizes my journey, a journey to break free from the lies that have entrapped me and to walk in the freedom of truth. Isn’t it amazing the lies that we tell ourselves and somehow we take them as truth? One of the biggies for me is “You need to be perfect!” Ugh!! Perfection. It’s an ugly lie, and yet is a core belief. That’s a tough belief to live up to, and totally unrealistic. And the reality is, it’s not very fun to be around someone who is always trying to be perfect. So, a part of my journey has been to embrace my humanness, my imperfection – and to exchange that flawed belief with truth. The truth is, “I am enough! I am enough just as I am!” There is such beauty in these words, beauty and freedom. On the days that I accept my humanness it gives me the freedom to be me. Imperfect, beautifully made – me.

I’ve included two poems. The first is Mary Oliver’s poem; I hope that it speaks to a quiet place in you too. The other is a draft of a poem that I wrote. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

The Journey

Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice-

though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug

at your ankles.

“Mend my life!”

each voice cried.

But you didn’t stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations-

though their melancholy

was terrible.

It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voices behind

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice,

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do –

determined to save

the only life that you could save.

Acceptance

Natalie Berges Tucker

Listen to the sweet melody of truth

Waltzing across the gently breeze

Lightly kissing the young blossoms

Commanding attention with its soft subtle movements

No need for frantic searching

Tugging and pulling at the dense foliage

Peering into the dark shadows

Spinning endlessly in vain

be still

Observe the calm rhythms

of truth

Quietly waiting to soothe the weary soul