I read this quote today. It's from a poem. I do not read a lot of poetry. I spent many hours with the Norton Anthology of Poetry during my first year English Literature studies at the University of Sydney. I didn't love it. I spent many hours with The Canterbury Tales during my year 12 English studies. I didn't love it either (though I confess the Wife of Bath sounded like good fun at a dinner party).
I do love this quote. Though I confess that, sitting here in my study, wrapped in my Slanket), I connect with the 'precious' aspect of the quote moreso than the 'wild' at the present time.
How many of us live 'wild' lives, I wonder? What constitutes a 'wild' life? I suspect that it doesn't involve suburbs, school runs and vacuum cleaning. Or does it? Does a life need to be 'big' to be 'wild', or is there wildness in living small?
Poetry is designed to make you think. So what do you think? What makes a life 'wild'?
[image: tiny porcelain house beads from lofficina/etsy]
I love that quote, maybe we do need to sometimes take a step back from the daily grind and find time for some wildness. I have an urge to pack up and travel the world with my children in a camper van, maybe I'll do it (having first learned to drive:).
ReplyDeleteA quote that I love is by Robert Frost 'I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep'
Good question. I think it's that whole thing of perception. What I think is someone else's wild is their mundane. I like my wild in small, manageable doses. I tend to focus more on the precious elements of my life and I am blessed with lots of those.
ReplyDeleteI think wild as in living, breathing. It's tempting to think of life as static and tame, but life is wild and wooly and rather than moan about it (as we are want to do, particularly as mums), I think we should embrace it. This morning we had a wild rumpus in our sunroom to the Giggle and Hoot soundtrack, and it involved a lot of hip waggling. It was hilarious and lovely.
ReplyDeleteI love this post Allison. I agree with the rhythm method, i think she has summed it up brilliantly! Well my idea of "wildness" anyway. It is just letting go and giving in to the moment, isn't it? Whether the moment is made up of slankets and school drop offs or doing a tandem sky dive with Bear Grylls strapped to your back.
ReplyDeleteAnd how funny! I posted about poetry today too, and it is not a usual love of mine either.
Hey Allison,
ReplyDeleteI love thinking of you in a "slanket" haha. sounds cozy. I think being wild exists in our thoughts and how we relate. I think it is wild that you have a successful blog and can connect to so many people. This is all Wild and Crazy. love your blog
I favor Mary Oliver's verse.
ReplyDeleteWild almost certainly means different things to different people. For me, it's about grabbing everything you do in life, with both hands and throwing yourself headlong into it.
ReplyDeleteMy dad is a good example I feel. On the surface, these days, he appears to be a bit of 'stuffed shirt'. Conservative, set in his ways... the whole bit. But Dad ran a skydiving business for 35 years, jumped out of a plane over 10,000 times. Rode a motorbike for many years. Served as a commando in the army. AND raised 7 children.
There's a little bit of wild in everybody, I am thinking.
Excellent thought provoking post Allison!
What a crazy connected place is this universe- I just posted a Mary Oliver poem because it summed up my status so perfectly.
ReplyDeleteA wild life (to me) is lived freely without fear and open to every opportunity out there. I wish I lived a wild life but I don't.
Being the mom of three boys makes my life a little different kind of wild each day. Some days are wild with frogs and lizards, others are wild with laughter over life with boys. Some days I get real wild and go get a pedicure or see a movie while they are all at school! :)
ReplyDelete"To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work."
ReplyDeleteI've done wild. Now I'll pay attention.
xx
The 'wild' ride -not smooth and easy - but up and down and every which way - resulting in 'wild' emotions to match.
ReplyDeleteI used to think a 'wild life' involved lots of parties, travel and extreme sports. The parties have been replaced by coffee mornings, travelling to Wales to see the family is a treat and extreme sports have been replaced by extreme parenting. But it's been an wild and crazy ride so far!
ReplyDeleteEEk! I so remember Norton's Anthology...I think it's on one of my bookshelves somewhere. A wild life? Perhaps dropping your boys off at school wrapped in said slanket and ugg boots, hair up in a bird's nest...that would get the school mums chatting.
ReplyDeleteWild is wiping three bottoms no less than 10 times a day, and that's not including your own and, occasionally, a stuffed animal's. Crazy times!
ReplyDeleteI am guessing 'wild' is not what it is all cracked up to be anyway. I tend to leave my 'wildness' to my imagination...it's exciting there you know!
ReplyDeleteMy life is suburbs, and work, and grocery shopping, and popular television. It is not wild. Slightly ragged, but definitely not wild.
ReplyDeleteWild for me is buying or doing something I wouldn't normally buy or do.
ReplyDeleteLike buying magazines (rarely) instead of milk and bread, or hopping on a bus and going wherever it takes me then taking photos, instead of staying home and vacuuming the carpet.
I'm not a fan of poetry.
I think I agree with some of the other comments, that the 'wild' part of my life is now the little spontaneous moments. Last week I ditched the groceries and house cleaning and instead took my little girl on a nature walk in the autumn leaves and then out for morning tea - it was 'wild'.
ReplyDeleteIt must have been a day for poetry, as I also used a poem in my post this morning - Gather Ye Rosebuds while Ye May, one of my all time favourites, about seizing the moment. Carpe Diem! Hope you have a lovely 'wild' day.
You know what? I have lived my wild wild life. My body says no to being an older mum. My mind says yes. I am on a wild life hiatus until the kids leave home. My wild life in my 20's travelling the world, dating all the wrong types of men, drinking cheap wine and waking up on unidentified beaches were all the 'wild' I need for now. Loved it. Will do it again when I'm 60....with Scenic Tours. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI life in the suburbs, kids, cooking, cleaning... not so wild but trying to put some "out of the norm" wild moments in.
ReplyDeleteI think having a large variety of different experiences and not being afraid to try new things creates a wild life.
ReplyDeleteYou've clearly never met my vacuum cleaner. x
ReplyDeleteI think "wild" refers to the unexpected. just like a wild animal leaping out at you as you're walking along. And everyone's life has at least some of those turns, right?
ReplyDeleteGreat quote! Wild - fab word! Life is wild when you are living your truth. When you take time to do the things that you really want to do it sure can take you on a wild ride.
ReplyDeleteLiving the wild life? I've quietly retired from my wild days and am facing life sober and in control...
ReplyDeleteBut doesn't mean it's not challenging.
Sometimes I buy the family the wrong kind of yoghurt just to see the fallout. I like to live life on the edge!
ReplyDelete