is where
in the pinewoods
in the moments between
the darkness
and the first light
two deer
came walking down the hill
and when they saw me
they said to each other, okay,
this one is okay,
let's see who she is
and why she is sitting
on the ground, like that,
so quiet, as if
asleep, or in a dream,
but, anyway, harmless;
and so they came
on their slender legs
and gazed upon me
not unlike the way
I go out to the dunes and look
and look and look
into the faces of the flowers;
and then one of them leaned forward Â
and nuzzled my hand, and what can my life
bring to me that could exceed
that brief moment?
For twenty years
I have gone every day to the same woods,
not waiting, exactly, just lingering,
Such gifts, bestowed,
can't be repeated.
If you want to talk about this come to visit. I live in the house near the corner, which I have named Gratitude.
~by Mary Oliver
Hope Springs is a sacred place – and we hope that it is a place that you want to get back to. We are grateful for all of the living beings that come through here, from you, the people who seek to make this world a more peaceful place, to the other living creatures, like the deer, who teach us how.Â
Remember Hope Springs on #GivingTuesday December 3rd
Donations of any amount are welcome and greatly appreciated! Your gift helps Hope Springs continue to provide the sacred place that thousands of people over the years have come back to. Thank you!
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