a favorite poem

Come, rest awhile, and let us idly stray
In glimmering valleys, cool and far away.

Come from the greedy mart, the troubled street,
And listen to the music, faint and sweet,

That echoes ever to a listening ear,
Unheard by those who will not pause to hear­

The wayward chimes of memory's pensive bells,
Wind-blown o'er misty hills and curtained dells.

One step aside and dewy buds unclose
The sweetness of the violet and the rose;

Song and romance still linger in the green,
Emblossomed ways by you so seldom seen,

And near at hand, would you but see them, lie
All lovely things beloved in days gone by.

You have forgotten what it is to smile
In your too busy life­, come, rest awhile.

("Come, Rest Awhile," Lucy Maud Montgomery)

***

I've been overwhelmed lately by stuff,
by a to-do list that takes priority over people.
But:
life is more than
checklists
agendas
accomplishments

it's about
relationships
smiles
love

Thanks, Ms. Montgomery,
for the helpful reminder
:)