Did you know that humans, on average, take 23 340 breaths a day? I’m trying to concentrate on my breathing, and it’s not easy, but as William Stafford says, it’s important. I’m trying to “listen for the next things to happen.” 

Being a Person

by William Stafford

Be a person here. Stand by the river, invoke
the owls. Invoke winter, then spring.
Let any season that wants to come here make its own
call. After that sound goes away, wait.

A slow bubble rises through the earth
and begins to include sky, stars, all space,
even the outracing, expanding thought.
Come back and hear the little sound again.

Suddenly this dream you are having matches
everyone’s dream, and the result is the world.
If a different call came there wouldn’t be any
world, or you, or the river, or the owls calling.

How you stand here is important. How you
listen for the next things to happen. How you breathe.

Behind the scenes this past week, a loved one had a heart episode, which has been treated, and all is well. Maybe it’s the age I’ve hit, but almost all my friends have had something similar happen in the last year, or in the recent past. Some have experienced deaths of those close to them. This last month in particular has been quite the month. We’re exhausted, and we’re reeling, and we know we’re all in it together. It might be true that we’re all always dying, but it’s also true that we’re living. We’re breathing our 23000 breaths, and we’re letting the spring come, and we’re listening to the sounds of life. 

I admit I fell for the whole Neruda misattribution thing with this next poem. But that’s okay. The record is slowly being set straight.  

The question, as always, is how do you want to live? Also, where and how do you want to stand? What advice will you take? What dream will you follow? 

It’s good to be sensible. But it’s good to know when to run from that sensible advice. 

You Start Dying Slowly

by Martha Medeiros

You start dying slowly
if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.

You start dying slowly
When you kill your self-esteem;
When you do not let others help you.

You start dying slowly
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths
If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.

You start dying slowly
If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.

You start dying slowly
If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,
If you do not go after a dream,
If you do not allow yourself,
At least once in your lifetime,
To run away from sensible advice.