a pause in the hurriedness of our day

to be present to our feelings

to notice the peach blossoms that are opening in the backyard

to pay attention to how, several months later,

the peach tree is now bursting with fruit

we stop and pause

to notice when the citrus blossoms open and

just as before,

the tree delivers more fruit than we can use

and we put out the sign for neighbors to please help themselves

as we are working on helping ourselves

and when we’ve been away from home and return,

we wonder when our heart will mend

and once again,

the blossoms have become fruit

and the passionfruit will nourish us

the gooeyness, the tart and the sweet

at these moments, when life has deepened from profound loss

the fruit continues to shower me with gifts

with the opportunity to notice the subtle

and I remember the summer where we grew only one watermelon

during the first week of summer

in this bittersweet, beautiful world

-carolyn