What Really Matters

"To pay attention.  

This is the critical business of our lives.  

I don't want to say when my life is over 

that I just visited this world."  

Mary Oliver, Poet

I was out mowing the lawn and came across one of those wonderful creatures--the Box Turtle. How many of us as kids were introduced into the world of Nature with one of these?  (If not the Box Turtle, then surely the Garter Snake, right?)  I worried about it so close to the road, so I took it inside to a "box"--where else for a Box Turtle?  And, before I took it for a ride to the woods, I made sure to show it to my Yellow Lab mixed mutt.  She was right on it!  Cocked head, quizzical look, careful steps to check it out--anything but ignoring it.

Off to the woods we went.  In a wonderful clearing ideal for the new home--I set it down.  Immediately out came the head, the sentinel in a turret for sure.  It sat stone still, slowly moving the head and taking everything in.  I expected it to just plod off.  Not this turtle.  In fact, I never did see him leave at all.  I took my leave of him...slowly backing away.

First the dog, then the turtle....no rush at life, content to pay attention and take it in.  Is this what really matters?  We focus on this life so we can say with Mary Oliver that we paid attention and were more than visitors?