Instructions for Living a Life

By Shlomo Maital  

         I found this short poem by poet Mary Oliver, in a New York Times article. The title is “Instructions for Living a Life”. 

         With that title, philosophers would tend to write six encyclopedias.  And indeed they have. 

         But poets?  Seven words.  Here they are:

          Pay attention.

          Be astonished.

           Tell about it.

      OK – here is a small example.  My wife and I are at a School Psychology conference, in a university town in Portugal, called Coimbro.  At our final event last night, we gathered around a 700-year-old rubber tree!  Still alive and vital, with latex dripping down its amazing huge trunk. 

    Astonishing.  And… I’m telling you about it.