Thistle seed sock

There will always be a next thing.

An unidentified bird

Found the thistle seed sock

We hung

On the mountain ash.

One cat stares out

The front window.

The other sits on the placemats stacked

At the end of the dining table,

Keeps watch

On the backyard.

The unknown bird

On the thistle seed sock

Is part of the scene

Now.

Now

He is gone.

Now

She is gone.

Cats are good at waiting

For the next thing.

They always seem to know,

There will be

A next thing.

Adjustment

Making the next adjustment. Then the next one.

Adjustment takes tears

Many tears

Looking out the window

At the 92 year old colleague

Getting in

To drive his car

Watching him pull out

Of the parking lot.

Adjustment takes a lot

Of why me?

Then why not me?

Then

Why me, once more?

Then come the tears.

Finally again

The figuring out

What comes next,

And next

And next again.

Then more tears.

Then

The next thing.

I wondered what was next

I think it is human to want to make broad sweeping statements, to lead massive systemic change. I am human (there, I've admitted it!). Teeny tiny steps. One thing at a time. Noticing tracks in the snow. Making my own tracks.

I wondered what was next.

I guess this is.

Teeny tiny steps.

Animal tracks

In the snow

Leading to the garage.

They end there.

Did the creature

Crawl under the door

Or skirt to the side

Leaving no prints

To continue the story.

It may have gone either way.

The tracks

Tell only part,

Leave the rest

To the imagination.

I wondered what was next

There is always a next.

I guess this is.

Where will I leave tracks

In the snow;

Where will.

I leave them guessing.

Teeny tiny steps

Waiting again

I could have written more this morning, but I am off to begin finishing the current task... that isn*t it either.  Of course, it used to be part of it.  Now it isn*t.  Off to get my volunteer paperwork in order.

Sometimes what I think

Is the next thing, isn*t it.

So I simply wait.

Next

This morning brings

The value in

Not pushing through,

But instead

Relaxing into.

This is not the same thing

As

Giving up

But instead

Noticing what is indeed

The next right thing,

The thing

That clamors to be next,

Hints at its next-ness,

If I only let it be

Next.