A Day Not As Planned

Photo: (c) Jamie K. Reaser

I had planned accordingly, been

willing to commit body and mind

to the long list, but:

At the farmers’ market there

were familiar faces with names

I know, words to exchange

about possibilities and how the

rain has made the eggplant

grow larger than anticipated or

desired. Communing takes time,

especially when hugs are involved

and here they are, most certainly.

There were turtles: two.

One in a puddle in my driveway

with a nasty infection that needed

tending, so I drove him all the way

over the mountain to vets who

understand that all beings are worthy,

And the other spinning on its back

just west of the yellow lines. Though

I stopped, hopeful, there was nothing

left to do but offer prayers and a

ramshackle body to something that

might show up, hungry, in the roadside

shrubbery. It wasn’t joyful, but it

called for time.

And, I had to fix a watch that broke

in the night. Two in two months!

I think the Universe is trying to tell

me something, but what could it

be?

So then, just as I was going to get back

to the list, a friend said, “Come by!”

And, I did, and we sat for a bit

contemplating how every act can be

a perfect act. What an interesting day,

I thought. I’m perfectly accomplishing

nothing.

But, as the light dimmed and the temperature

became more cordial, I thought now, now

I’ll get something done. It was then

that I realized the day had written a poem

and it was going to need some time.

~ Jamie K. Reaser, Author

From "Truth and Beauty: Poems on the Nature of Our Humanity"

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