Some days, the simplest tasks
seem weighty and endless:
make the bed, tuck in the sheet,
make the coffee, stir, and drink,
find the bills, pay the bills.
Some weeks, the days blur:
get on the plane, get off the plane,
get in the car, get out of the car,
sign in here, sign out there.
Then, I got your email saying:
Isn’t this all a blessing?
We get to make the bed
and tuck in the sheet.
We get to make the coffee
and stir it and drink.
I emailed you back:
What’s the difference?
You called me up and said:
“Oh my friend, if we can just
keep falling down and getting up,
it all becomes a dance.”
A Question to Walk With: Describe a task that has been at one time a chore and at another time a blessing. How do you understand the difference?
This is from my book of poems in progress, This Slow Quick Dance.
Mark will be offering retreats and a few special journeys in 2024. Below are some of his offerings:
APRIL 26–28: Reading and Weekend Retreat, Saying Yes to Life: From Brokenness to Tenderness, The Sophia Institute, Charleston, SC, or call 843–720–8528
https://thesophiainstitute.org/events/saying-yes-to-life-from-brokenness-to-tenderness/?occurrence=2024-04-26
MAY 6: Drinking from the River of Light, Talk on the Creative Process, The Gilmore Festival, Kalamazoo Public Library, The Van Duesen Room, 2PM —
https://www.thegilmore.org/event/mark-nepo/
May 18–24, 2024 The Gift of Deepening and the Radiance in All Things, a weeklong retreat on a river cruise in France hosted by Global Journeys, .
https://globalj.org/the-gift-od-deepening-overview/
JUNE 28–30: Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, NY, Falling Down and Getting Up: Discovering Your Inner Resilience and Strength, Weekend Retreat, (web link)
AUG 16–18: Mercy By the Sea, 167 Neck Rd, Madison, CT, Publication Retreat centered on You Don’t Have to Do It Alone: The Net of Friendship, Fri 7–9:30PM EST Sat 9:30–5:30PM EST, Sun 9:30–12:30PM —
https://www.mercybythesea.org/events/
Sept 16–21, 2024 You Don’t Have to Do It Alone: The Power of Friendship, a Mastery Week at the Modern Elder Academy in Santa Fe, Mexico, .
https://www.meawisdom.com/workshop/the-power-of-friendship-with-mark-nepo
NOV 1–3: Harmony Hill Retreat Center, Union, WA, Weekend Retreat, You Don’t Have to Do It Alone: The Net of Friendship Contact Harmony Hill for info: https://www.harmonyhill.org/contact-connections/
Dec 8–14, Saying Yes to Life: The One Life We’re Given, a weeklong retreat in Costa Rica, hosted by Global Journeys, .
https://globalj.org/mark-nepo-costa-rica-overview/
