A Poem and A Challenge
/Today, a poem and a challenge (keep reading).
First, a poem:
"Good Bones"
By Maggie Smith
Life is short, though I keep this from my children.
Life is short, and I’ve shortened mine
in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways,
a thousand deliciously ill-advised ways
I’ll keep from my children. The world is at least
fifty percent terrible, and that’s a conservative
estimate, though I keep this from my children.
For every bird there is a stone thrown at a bird.
For every loved child, a child broken, bagged,
sunk in a lake. Life is short and the world
is at least half terrible, and for every kind
stranger, there is one who would break you,
though I keep this from my children. I am trying
to sell them the world. Any decent realtor,
walking you through a real shithole, chirps on
about good bones: This place could be beautiful,
right? You could make this place beautiful.
Second, a challenge:
One year, a few years ago, I gave myself a single resolution to keep: Each day, I would do something that felt brave.
It did not have to be a large act (I am no daredevil, nor do I wish to be). Most days, in fact, my brave act was on the scale of wearing my hair in a new way, or going to that store where I felt uncool and feared running into my ex-boyfriend.
My brave acts were just me desiring to feel less afraid and more true in my everyday life. If, like me, you're a highly sensitive introvert with social anxiety, you get what I mean.
I did many seemingly brave things that year, and my resolution has been embedded within my spirit to a certain degree: I still try to choose the brave choice when I can.
This year, starting now, I'd like to challenge myself to adopt another resolution, and I'd like to challenge you to do the same:
Each day, in large or minute ways, do something to make your world, our world, more beautiful.
Smile at the stranger who crosses your path.
Pray for someone who is suffering.
Instead of losing your patience, breath deep, and remind yourself that at bottom, you are a gentle person. You do crave kindness, always.
Pick new lilacs from the bush in the alleyway; let their fragrance fill your kitchen.
Care for your belongings and your home; clean something, bake something, simply sit and enjoy the light coming through your living room windows.
Ask someone how you can help them. Ask someone to help you.
Apologize.
Embrace.
If you're happy? Say so. Sad? Say so. Do not pretend. No more pretending.
Every act, if done with kindness, has the pure potential to make the world more beautiful.
And this place could be beautiful, right? We can make this place beautiful.
Thanks for reading.
-Beth