Give me the simple life

with simple moments

and little things

that make me smile.

You can keep your fame, the paparazzi

The incessant headlines about what you said or didn’t say

What you wore, or didn’t wear

Where you went and what you ate

A limelight that casts sight

On every moment until you

Are a prisoner in your own home

And words are worn like weights

Always there, always “weighing in”

whether you care or not.

What a drain, no thank you

I don’t want fame.

It’s a delight to be unknown,

It has charms of its own.

Messy hair, don’t care

I’m the only one who saw myself today!

Well, my husband saw me….

And my girls, but never you mind

They’re too kind

And they know me well enough

To see beyond what everyone else sees

They see the real me, the one inside.

Ah, the delight of obscurity!

One of the joys of a simple life.

I’ll take that wood stove, cozy heat

Warmth bringing relief

from the cold.

I’ll take those happy sounds

A home where laughter abounds

And songs fill the air

This is lovely, thank you.

I’ll take scratchy bearded kisses

And the gift of sharing my bed

With my best friend

These are the moments I love.

Who needs a vacation?

I love to look out and see our chickens

Strutting around, so purposeful

As if they have the greatest work in the world

Scratching, pecking, finding

Treats among the clumps of grass.

I’ll take this ordinary moment, thank you.

I’ll take those little arms around my neck

Safely tuck it in my memory vault

To pull out later for review

After these ladies have grown and gone

And have little arms and bodies of their own to nurture

I will miss the beauty of these everyday moments:

Songs on the piano and impromptu singing

Their presence is a present to me

And I take the time to see

This – this is what it feels to be rich.

When they go (or I go)

And the hourglass runs out of sand

I’m sure these are the things that will be most missed

Those sweet hands in mine

These fleeting pockets of time

The ones that contain

Faces and voices and conversations.

Faces and voices and conversations

I don’t take them for granted

Because if I lost any of these

I would look over to those with families still intact and remind them-

This moment is a gift.

I just don’t feel the need to wait before they leave

Before I see

The treasure before me

This simplicity

Of presence, it is a gift.

And if you open your eyes long enough

Be fully present long enough

You’ll find yourself richer than you imagined.