The Journey

Mary Oliver




One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice--

though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug

at your ankles.

"Mend my life!"

each voice cried.

But you didn't stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,

though their melancholy

was terrible.

It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voices behind,

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do--

determined to save

the only life you could save.



I love this poem.  It describes my life right now so beautifully.  And I must clarify: All those voices, the ones with the bad advice, the ones trying to pull my from my path...they are the voices of fear, of inadequacy, the voice of the adversary.  My family, on the other hand?  Their voices are saying, "You can do this," or  "I love listening to you practice," or "How many more hours do you need to do tonight?"  They're pulling out my coat and packing me food for the road.  They are magnificent.

The road is steep and rugged and challenging, but it's beautiful and exhilarating.