Natural change

Written on Mother's Day, 2009, I was reminded of this poem tonight as I reflected with a friend how much we appreciate the environment we live in, with exactly this view of nature greeting us every day, when we remember to really look.

I watch mindlessly from above
the to-ing and fro-ing,
the hustle and bustle of people,
traffic, coming and going here,
there and everywhere.

It takes a while
for my eyes to lift, and see,
then it hits me -
insignificant scurrying,
incessant worrying,
constant lowering
of my sights.

For there, casually kissing
the horizon, I see
steadfastness,
timelessness,
inarguable solidity
in the stillness of the trees,
in the setting sun,
hills carving a forever line
in the sky,
reflected in the constant caress
of water, slowly flowing.

I want to slow myself down
to the pace of the trees,
the water, the hills.

From day to night,
through seasonal shifts,
despite the onslaught of man,
our faces change.

Slow down.
Be mindful.
To the pace of grace.
Trees, water, hills.
The changes of nature
embraced.

BY JEANETTE JONES