Your Wild And Precious Life

For some reason we’ve been coming across a Mary Oliver quote every time we turn around. Maybe because a new crew of graduates has just been released into the world. Maybe because there’s not one among us who hasn’t secretly wondered – sometimes at regular intervals – if we’re living our best lives. If you’re not familiar with Mary Oliver, she’s a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, author and heartbreaker with quotes like this favorite, the one that inspired this post:

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your wild and precious life?”

You’ve been asked this a thousand times by high school guidance counselors, your parents and perfect strangers. But somehow, Mary’s version sticks, doesn’t it? It reminds us that while she’s wondering, too, she’s also sure that we have been given this tiny, beautifully wrapped gift and it can pretty much be anything we want it to be. And it should. Your life is wild and precious. Even after you’ve spent 20 minutes on Pinterest and feel like an epic failure (you’re not!). So what do you plan to do with your wild and precious life? There’s no wrong answer. At least according to Mary. For more from the wise and wonderful Mary Oliver, find a comfortable spot, grab a snack and check out her New and Selected Poems, Vol. 1.