The Examined Life

Poem and photo by Laurie Howland

How often do we look at ourselves closely
 Not to notice every pore or every wrinkle
 But to notice every fine line of who we are
 

 How often do we go through the course of a day
 Fulfilling our duties and mundane chores
 Without looking at ourselves and noticing
 The moments that make our hearts smile
 

 How often do we fall asleep at night
 Exhausted from a chaotic day
 Stressed from the burdens on our shoulders
 And fail to notice all the things to be grateful for
 

 How often do we rise in the morning
 To begin our day without stopping to be present
 So that all the fleeting moments don’t go unnoticed
 Among all the mundane chores, burdens and wrinkles