A Little Away From Everywhere

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I wonder about the trees.

Sometimes when I watch trees sway,
From the window or the door.
I shall set forth for somewhere,
I shall make the reckless choice
Some day when they are in voice
And tossing so as to scare
The white clouds over them on.
I shall have less to say,
But I shall be gone.
~Robert Frost from “The Sound of Trees”

There is a thing in me that dreamed of trees,
A quiet house, some green and modest acres
A little way from every troubling town,
Al little way from factories, schools, laments.
I would have time, I thought, and time to spare,
With only streams and birds for company,
To build out of my life a few wild stanzas.
And then it came to me, that so was death,
A little way away from everywhere.
~Mary Oliver from “A Dream of Trees” from New and Selected Poems

As I wind down my work load, for once sharing the calls at night, and allowing others to manage the day time urgencies,

I wonder if
I shall have less to say,
and whether I will become less myself.

A life of non-stop doctoring means having little time for anything else.
Soon I will have time and time to spare.

I wonder about the trees
and how
To build out of my life a few wild stanzas.

7 thoughts on “A Little Away From Everywhere”

  1. Dear Emily,

    Sounds like you are preparing for retirement, as I am after 33 years of practice in the same pediatric office. I also wonder about how I will spend all the time I will soon own. My prayers are for both of us in our new uncharted waters.

    Susan in Los Gatos. California

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Oh you won’t stop thinking and noticing and musing! And with more time, how much more if that you can do! Your blog readers look forward to it!!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Just imagine, Emily, having the luxury of being able to find the necessary silence to listen to the trees and imagining what they will have to say to you. You won’t have to worry about whether you will find material for your newly available ‘free time.’ It is all there in your memory banks, just waiting to be retrieved — and the good memories relived in your mind as you choose to commit them to poetry (and prose) for others to enjoy. The people, events and history that you many not be able to recall immediately are recorded in your mind’s eye. And your exceptional gift for photography: you will absolutely be on a continuous spree of recording the unique mesmerizing beauty of our environment – our Creator God’s precious gifts to us.

    I predict that you will need two calendars in your home.

    Love and prayers to whatever you are ‘hatching’ for your and Dan’s future. I can guarantee that as much as is possible of it
    will include grandchildren and perhaps travel.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Susan, such a long history – your early pediatric patients are now your patients’ parents! I knew I had turned a corner when I started seeing my delivered babies in my college practice, but now they are old enough to almost be grandparents themselves!

    May you find new purpose and blessings in your life outside the clinic, and if you are able up in the northwest, let me know!
    Emily

    Like

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