Yesterday I refused to let the pain in my neck stop me from participating when we went to pick up the farm share. And what sticks with me about the experience? Not neck pain. Joyful abundance in the green bean patch, and my daughter’s (and my own) unstoppable enthusiasm for picking more. Gathering flowers for a beautiful bouquet. The first cherry tomatoes of the season. Watching my daughter climb previously untried parts of the play structure like the brave little monkey she is.

This morning I took a longer walk than usual, refusing to let my anxiety about the time keep me from revisiting flower gardens I enjoyed passing last year, before I added hours of physical therapy to my schedule. And my reward?

A busy hummingbird among the vivid crimson Monarda. A sidewalk full of crossing slugs. Feral double-blossomed orange daylilies at woods’ edge. Bunnies. A mouthful of wild black raspberries. The shushing rush of Parsons Brook. The spicy scent of pink-flowering bee balm.

Praise the Lord and praise the Lady
Bless the day in all of its glory
Here I stand, heart in hand,
Alive, awake, and telling my story.