It Doesn't Compute

But it adds up. 

It might look insignificant,

common, or just plain quiet at times. 

Your daily routine doesn’t get air time

on the nightly news or make headlines 

on the front page of the paper. 

What you do every day

matters, even though it seems

unremarkable in the moment, because 

we don’t have a Clarence who suddenly

appears when we need him most. 

There’s no one to show us flashbacks 

or the ripples made in the rest of the story.

The ordinary, invisible, mostly 

mundane parts of our lives 

don’t seem all that wonderful 

from our point of view. 

But wait, there’s a different perspective.

If only you could see all of heaven nod 

approval while they stand in thunderous 

applause, breathing deep sighs of satisfaction 

as they knowingly elbow each other in 

complete agreement -  what you do

matters. It makes a difference. Forever. 

During your most  run-of-the-mill-days, 

just imagine the Star Breather 

clearing a lump from his throat 

and wiping a tear from his eye 

 watching the myriad ways you: 

Love. And live. And give. And laugh. 

And grow things. And find time to create 

beautiful things in between endless chores.

And care for words. And find ways to be 

thankful. And make lemonade, anyways. 

And midwife and doula, nourish and nurture 

everyone around you. 

[deep curtsy] 

Kathleen Overby