Don't Forget To Pick Your Head Up

You'll miss the view you worked so hard for.

Photo by Derek MacDonald

Ten years ago I wrote a poem about appreciation. Today, I’m sharing it with you.

The morning air was already thick, promising another hot summer day in Vermont—even though it wasn’t even eight o’clock yet. Blargh.

I was sitting outside on the deck, lost in thought. As is normally the case in situations like these, I held a cup of coffee in my left hand and a pen in my right. My navy blue notebook lay open in front of me. A sip of coffee. Then another, followed by a few satisfied lip-smacks. Looking down at the words on the page, I cracked a soft smile. You know, the kind that sort of slides off to the side of your mouth… like it’s thinking about becoming a smirk?

There’s a lot I’m grateful for in my life.

In the day-to-day, it can be easy to overlook all the wonderful stuff. But I’m so lucky. Truly. In life’s stressful moments, I try to remind myself of these things. When I first started doing that, I used it as a grounding technique for managing anxiety. Then I found myself doing it more routinely, sans anxiety. Now, I try to add moments of gratitude to the daily morning pages I write in my notebook.

Like this poem, it’s a journey.

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Ridgeline
By Derek MacDonald

There's something about a mountain,
and the way that it stands tall.
Its poised confidence and dominance,
as stubborn as a wall.
The first to see the sun,
and the last to see it wane.
The pensive isolation,
the welcoming of rain.

There's something about a mountain,
from the surface to its core.
Shaped by the footpath of the hiker,
and chiseled by the shore.
With its head amidst the clouds,
and its feet below the sea.
A bridge between land and sky,
creates perfect harmony.

There's something about a mountain,
and its iridescent air.
Home to the flora and the fauna,
and the comfort of the bear.
An oasis and a fountain,
for those that wish to seek.
Solace from the mountain,
and a companion in its peak.

Climbing a mountain is an adventure. And those take time. They have a lot to offer along the way, too. So savor your morning coffee. Enjoy an extra breath before opening your inbox, and smile to yourself when you get lost in a memory from a place you love. That’s how the photo above made me side-smile into my coffee on this hot summer day.

Now’s a good a time as any to pause and enjoy the view, wherever you are.

onward.

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P.S. I write a separate email series where I share daily snippets from building a life around creative work. If you’re making more space for creativity, too (or just curious about what it looks like), you can check it out here.