Friday, December 21, 2012

Wings at 60

The package was waiting on my desk, having travelled all the way from Germany, and looking quiet mysterious. I am not gentle when it comes to opening a parcel or package, so it was ripped open quickly. Inside was a wonderful book of poetry, Evidence, by Mary Oliver. Along with the book was a poem from the book that had been framed:

Halleluiah

Everyone should be born into this world happy
     and loving everything.
But in truth it rarely works that way.
For myself, I have spent my life clamoring toward it.
Halleluiah, anyway, I'm not where I started!

And have you too been trudging like that, sometimes
     almost forgetting how wonderous the world is and
          how miraculously kind some people can be?
And have you too decided that probably nothing important
     is ever easy?
Not, say, for the first sixty years.

Halleluiah, I'm sixty now, and even a little more,
and some days I feel I have wings.

Mary Oliver

This book, and this poem, meant so much to me. The book sits beside my desk and has become my 'when I need to ponder' book. She write evocatively with images that somehow bring me to a place where thinking is possible.

So it's my birthday.

I'm sixty.

And some days I feel I have wings.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, dear sweet man!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Dave. And thank you for your blog. It's a gift I enjoy every day.

painting with fire said...

Happy Birthday! Another who enjoys your writing daily although I rarely comment!

Belly (Liz McLennan) said...

Happy Birthday, Dave! A brand-new decade before you - can't wait to read what it brings you!

xo

Anonymous said...

Dear Dave,

I am so glad it safely arrived. It was introduced to my by Joshua Kadison who is a gentle soul too.

"My" poem is the HEART POEM...

Congratulations again to a man who sometimes has wings - and to his partner.

Happy Birthday again
Julia

Jan said...

Happy Birthday Dave. Thank you for sharing the Mary Oliver Poem. May you always find your wings

Princeton Posse said...

Happy Bithday Dave, from another December Baby!

Selena said...

Happy Birthday Dave!! May you have a fantastic day and a wonderful year ahead!

Tamara said...

Happy Birthday!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Dave!

Dave Hingsburger said...

Julia, I can't tell you how often I've picked that book up ... I think of you every time I do. I wonder if we'll ever manage to meet?

Kristine said...

Happiest of birthdays, Dave! Nobody could possibly deserve it more! :)

Love the poem, and love the phrase "Hallelujah anyway!" It's a very succinct expression of the outlook on life I TRY to hold onto. :)

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Dave. And Merry Christmas to you and Joe :)

Brooke, Cessna, Canyon & Rogue said...

Happy Birthday Dave!

Nan said...

Happy b day and what a great gift!!! You are indeed loved by so many. Wings!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Dave.
Thank you for sharing yourself in this blog. You are much appreciated.
Sharon