What Matters, What Doesn’t
Yesterday morning on my way to work, I saw an eagle in a tree to my right. Sitting still and majestic. A few miles up the road, I saw another eagle in a tree to my left. Prominent. Still. Seeing eagles is not a rare occurrence in river country, but seeing two of them in two different trees on my morning commute has never happened before.
Right. Left. A welcome from each side.
If I had been deep in thought or worry about the day ahead, I may have missed them. I was simply driving and paying attention. (Driving and paying attention—sounds like common sense, but can we all be better at it, please?)
On a bike ride after work yesterday, I noticed the greens starting to emerge on trees and on the ground. I love this about spring. I thought again about the eagles, and the haiku I had written before leaving home yesterday morning. Quiet eagles and rowdy birds.
Morning Birds
rowdy, varied songs
refrains all around, busy
birds invite, offer
Haikus don’t usually have titles, but I like to title mine. Does it matter that I break this rule? Not really.
What matters and what doesn’t? That carried me on a few miles of my bike ride. It matters that I share a smile and greeting as I pass by others on the trail. Knowing their name doesn’t. It matters that I appreciate the dandelions and little purple flowers. Not knowing the name of the little purple flower doesn’t take away its presence, color, or beauty. Sure, I could look it up. I could Google it. But then I would have less time to notice what is already here.
I stood up on my bike as I headed up a tough hill. A woman in her late fifties biking like that? You bet! What matters is what my body can, and can’t, do. What my mind can, and can’t, do. Not how my chronological age would categorize me and my capabilities.
What matters are the buds that will become full leaves in the next weeks. You and I choose what matters, either consciously or subconsciously, by what we give our attention to and put our focus on. Am I focusing on buds and blossoms or keeping old thoughts and expectations alive that should really just be composted?
