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Finding Your Soul

by David Anderson

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Put Sunlight On Your List

October 26, 2011 by David Anderson 9 Comments

We live by lists. I’ve got lists on my Blackberry calendar. I’ve got little pieces of paper in my shirt pocket that say, “Call Dr.” and “Stop paper/mail” and “Dan.”  When I get to work my wonderful, life-saving admin kindly forces me to clean up the clutter on my desk. Then Judy types up a nice clean sheet titled “DRA Tasks” with fifteen or twenty entries. I work my lists. At the end of the day I empty my pockets and am often discouraged: I have not even remembered to check the crumpled scraps of paper bearing my purpose for living today.

Because I can be so tyrannized by small things, because I am silly enough to imagine that I am a “success” if I manage to cross off all the discrete little scribbles by day’s end, I like this poem by Tony Hoagland. See if you like it, too.

THE WORD

 

Down near the bottom

of the crossed-out list

of things you have to do today,

 

between “green thread”

and “broccoli,” you find

that you have penciled “sunlight.”

 

Resting on the page, the word

is beautiful. It touches you

as if you had a friend

 

and sunlight were a present

he had sent from someplace distant

as this morning—to cheer you up,

 

and to remind you that,

among your duties, pleasure

is a thing

 

that also needs accomplishing.

Do you remember?

that time and light are kinds

 

of love, and love

is no less practical

than a coffee grinder

 

or a safe spare tire?

Tomorrow you may be utterly

without a clue,

 

but today you get a telegram

from the heart in exile,

proclaiming that the kingdom

 

still exists,

the king and queen alive,

still speaking to their children,

 

—to any one among them

who can find the time

to sit out in the sun and listen.

Filed Under: Happiness, Nature/Creation, Now/ the Present

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dan says

    October 26, 2011 at 9:58 am

    Beautiful post ! I can’t for one day to hear one of you sermons. That would be a great joy! Have a great day, give your beautiful wife and girls a BIG hug from the Aherns out on Vashon Island 🙂

    Reply
  2. Brooke @ Food Woolf says

    October 27, 2011 at 12:34 am

    Sigh. Thank goodness you are so prolific. I certainly can use your brand of peace, kindness, and love.

    Adding sunshine to my to-do list,
    Brooke

    Reply
  3. Pattie says

    October 27, 2011 at 8:55 am

    It’s as if you are secretly looking in on my life. Not only do I make lists, have lots of little sticky notes everywhere, but I fell guilty if I’m not making a list. I made one just this morning while changing the sheets on my bed. Trying to clear my head and get the thoughs out of it and onto a piece of paper. My mood is directly linked to how many things get crossed off my list each day. I feel good crossing off, a failure when the list is untouched. There is never anything for me on those lists except maybe an occasionaly drs appt or haircut. Nothing that will bring me a moment of peach or relaxation. They are all about what I need to do for my job, my house, my kids, my pets. I need sunshine! I’m goint to write that down on a yellow sticky and hope for todays rain to go away!

    Reply
    • David says

      October 28, 2011 at 9:43 am

      What you describe is SO typical. So—lead the way. Show the rest of us how to put something life-giving on our to-do lists today.

      Reply
  4. Pattie says

    October 27, 2011 at 8:55 am

    Oops typing so fast this am. Sorry about those typose!

    Reply
  5. clark s johnson says

    October 27, 2011 at 11:39 am

    Are you old enoiugh to remember the tune “You aare my sunshine my only sunshine” You make me happy when clounds are grey We wait for it and it will return Blessings clark

    Reply
    • David says

      October 28, 2011 at 9:42 am

      used to sing it as a kid!

      Reply
  6. Ginny Lovas says

    October 27, 2011 at 8:34 pm

    Yes, Thank you God for Sunlight!

    Reply
  7. Irma says

    October 28, 2011 at 9:24 am

    The Creator gave us everything we need including Him:)

    Reply

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