On the Necessity of Snow Angels
The Wellness Compass Initiative is our partner community wellness initative. Each week we write a column for Wellness Compass and we are pleased to share it here on our Living Compass site.
In the spirit of simplicity during the holidays, rather than writing and sending a full column this week, we are sharing this beautiful poem by octogenarian Grace Butcher. It was shared with us recently, and we loved it. We invite you now to read it slowly and then reflect on how you might, as in the closing words of the poem say, "Keep walking toward the next beautiful thing that you will do.”
On our Wellness Compass podcast this week, we share how this poem spoke to the two of us. If you are interested, you can listen on our website at www.wellnesscompass.org/podcast or in your favorite podcast app.
"On the Necessity of Snow Angels for the Well-Being of the World" by Grace Butcher
Wherever there is snow, I go,
making angels along the way
Luckily angels have no gender
and are easier to make
than you might think.
All you have to do is let go,
fall on your back,
look up at the sky as if in prayer.
Move your arms like wings.
Move your legs to make a robe.
Rise carefully so as to do no harm,
and walk away.
All the angels along the path behind you
will sparkle in sunlight, gleam under the stars.
In spring the angels will be invisible
but really they are still there,
their outlines remain on the earth
where you put them,
waiting for you and the snow to return.
Keep walking,
towards the next beautiful thing
you will do.
*A note about Grace Butcher from the web: Grace is a poet, writer, horsewoman, motorcyclist, actor, and runner, and is also the founder of Kent State University – Geauga's literary magazine The Listening Eye — which is still going strong more than half a century since its founding.
**And a special thank you to our friend Nancy Enderle for introducing us to this poem.
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In addition to this column, there is also an episode of the Wellness Compass podcast based on this column. You can listen in your favorite podcast app and at www.WellnessCompass.org/podcast
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