What Are You Thirsty For?

What experiences quench your thirst? And, by thirst, I mean anything you hope or long for.

My favorite poem is by Mary Oliver. It's not the one that talks about being good (Wild Geese), though I love that. And, if you don't know it, you can find it here:
http://www.panhala.net/archive/wild_geese.html

The poem is instead one that encapsulates the feeling of being in wonder, amazement and joy and it reminds me of a fairy tale I heard as a kid about a mother who had a fever and how her daughter ran into the dark and fearsome woods to fill a pail of deep, clean, cold water so that her mother could quench her thirst and get well. 

Do you know the one? The pail become the little dipper, and the child and her mother looked into the sky with wonder as it sparkled above them. 

Whenever I am very thirsty for water or for connection or for something I can't quite name, I think of this poem and this story.

Here is the poem:

At Blackwater Pond 

At Blackwater Pond the tossed waters have
settled
after a night of rain.
I dip my cupped hands. I drink
a long time. It tastes
like stone, leaves, fire. It falls cold
into my body, waking the bones. I hear them
deep inside me, whispering
oh what is that beautiful thing
that just happened?

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Isn't it beautiful? It's rare to find a poem that describes a need being met so beautifullly. The pun on leaves is also lovely: that water leaves fire. 

* What in you is vibrantly awake? * What needs tending?

* What experiences are you thirsty for? 
* Think of a poem or a song or a person who fulfills your heart. 
* How does it feel to bring this person or experience to mind?

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Dr. Heather Schwartz is a relational and mindfulness-oriented psychologist who delights in working with warm and expressive people seeking greater connection, inspiration, and empowerment in their lives.