Spiritual Exercise – Joy

Five Photos in Five Days

The poet Mary Oliver writes,

“Every day, I see or hear something

that more or less kills me with delight,

that leaves me like a needle

in the haystack of light.

It was what I was born for –

to look, to listen,

to lose myself inside this soft world –

to instruct myself over and over in joy and acclamation.”

Anne Sexton also lifts up this pervasive and simply joy in her poem “Welcome Morning”: “There is joy in all: in the hair I brush each morning, in the Cannon towel, newly washed, that I rub my body with each morning, in the chapel of eggs I cook each morning, in the outcry from the kettle that heats my coffee each morning, in the spoon and the chair that cry “hello there, Anne” each morning, in the godhead of the table that I set my silver, plate, cup upon each morning. All this is God right here in my pea-green house each morning…”

That last line invites us to look around at our own simple and divine surroundings. It asks us to pay attention to and let in the holy joy right in front of us.

With that in mind, here’s your exercise: Capture five images of everyday joy five days in a row!

Keep that camera on your phone ready – or if you don’t have a camera at hand simply keep a notebook near you and write it down. As you go about your day pay attention to the small – or – big – things that bring you to joy. In this pandemic, it may take you longer then five days but try to be intentional in seeking it out.

Post your photos to facebook, or in the comments here, or send them to Rev. Fiona. Bring them to your theme group.