Stop: A Pandemic Poem
They say,
”Stop and smell the flowers,”
but I don’t think I’ve ever pressed pause
on the track of my hurried heart
long enough to take a whiff–
of the sweet fragrance of the beauty that surrounds me,
of the rich brightness of these new colors,
of the playful swirling of the bumblebees,
of the exhale of the breeze
and the peace that comes in the silence
between its breaths.
We were reprimanded as children
not to stop and stare,
not to gape with wide eyes
and mouths open
at the surprise of what we beheld.
But maybe,
in this case,
rebellion would work in our favor.
Maybe marvel
and wonder
and awe
are more necessary
than scrolling
and bingeing
and to-do’s.
Maybe this season of pause
is the Good Shepherd’s way
of giving our cluttered minds,
weary bodies,
broken spirits
and heavy-laden souls
the rest we’ve needed all along.
Maybe making us lay down in green pastures
and leading us beside still waters
is what we little sheep need.
Maybe there’s a present in this pandemic,
an unexpected and familiar gift of peace
that comes in pausing in His presence.
But will we stop?
Will we take time to stare?
To listen?
To feel?
Or will we stay enslaved to the
draining rhythms of this world,
and miss out on the invitations
to joy and goodness?
Will we let go of that which we were convinced
would give us worth,
security
or comfort
to grab hold of Love’s hand instead?
Let’s choose to stop
and smell the flowers–
right now,
while there’s time,
while and whenever
we can.
