poetry in motion
each month, elinor receives a poem to memorize and practice so that she can recite it for her teacher and the other scholars in her class. by far, this is one of my favorite parts of her kindergarten experience. our morning ritual of recitation while we wait in the morning car line. her eagerness to practice her proper stance, posture, expressions. her earnest inflection. she is superb at memorizing and performing. so far, she has aced it (as noted on her poem recitation rubric sheet. that’s my girl!). all that innate intensity and flair for the dramatic is paying off.
moreover, i am so enjoying the daily reminders that the recitation offers.
“the world is so full of a number of things! i’m sure we should all be as happy as kings!”
but it is not just the words. it is the method. the daily work. the practice. the subtle shifts in articulation. the mild movement of timbre. the slight adjustments. the faint improvements. the oft overlooked nuances which aggregate and result in something remarkable and beautiful and meaningful. something perfect, even.
and isn’t that life? a work. a craft. a forming of something rudimentary into something refined. from crude to polished. from green to gold. improving. seasoning. bettering.
indeed, the world is so full. there are so many things to enjoy. and i get to participate in creation. in restoration. in redemption. in celebration. in work and play and hustle and rest and big and small. the lot of it is mine to enter into and enjoy and share.
you are always with me, and everything i have is yours. (luke 15:31)
may i always remember that there is much to savor. much in which to delight. much happiness. even in the mundane. even in the repetition. the regular. the order of the day. the drudgery. the seemingly less than glamorous. the stuff. the routine. the inbox. the lists. the chores. the tricky things and sticky things.
all of it.
mine.
lest i forget, i have it all.