Raking leaves ...

I raked leaves with a Toro electric blower this past weekend.

I played little games,
first making rows,
moving leaves around in small swirling maelstroms of wind,
the leaves floating and fluttering and drifting along.
Then I herded the rows into piles.

At my age nothing is more important than this,
being active doing what needs to be done,
without a sense of obligation to anything
beyond what is in front of me.

And I thought about it.

Reality is like a huge ocean,
extending forever in time and space.
The horizon is always beyond my reach,
except through the ripples and waves I create where I am.

I can move in harmony with others,
amplifying our efforts,
or I can splash around.

Sometimes it is necessary to be disruptive.
Other times it is better to move in harmony.
Knowing when to do what,
is wisdom.
Doing it,
is courage.

I thought about these things as I raked the leaves
and changed the universe.

Like a butterfly moving its wings.