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Presence Without the Giftwrapped “Whoopee!”
On December 7th, 2023, for some reason, I woke up incredibly depressed. That’s what my journal said, anyway — and then I followed that statement with this:
Went upstairs and made myself a hot cup of water.
Stood at the slider, enjoying the cold floor
with the soles of my feet.
I noticed birds fussing around in the fallen leaves —
having breakfast? keeping warm?
A squirrel dug up her acorn
and ate it right there in front of me.
The world goes on, no matter what I’m feeling,
how medicated or unmedicated I am.
There are simple things to appreciate,
even when the appreciation doesn’t come
giftwrapped with a whoopee!
I can just notice the simple things.
That’s fine by itself.
More and more, I get it.
It’s the giftwrapped whoopee! of forced gratitude
that keeps me from living in, from living with,
that keeps me from being nourished by
what is.
