I envy the fly

You’ll find the recording at this Substack link

I envy the fly that flits fearlessly round my kitchen 

And maybe yours 

Landing on this surface, and that food

Unmoved by my attempts to keep it clean! 

Ignoring me 

Except when I try to swat it

When the fly is quick to flee

But not far 

Before long, it’ll be on another surface somewhere!

Its life is short and simple 

It acts on instinct

It doesn’t worry about life and death

Or climate change or politics

It lives, it flies

It is what it is

It does what it does

And dies

*

What can I learn from the fly?

Well seeing it reminds me to wash my hands!

And deeper than that?

That simple is good

And yet it’s not simple to be simple

We humans are “enlightened”

We are "sophisticated" 

We embrace the instincts of simpler animals

With the ability to go beyond those instincts

And that can lead to getting in such a muddle

From saying the “wrong” thing

To the climate crisis

*

Let’s aim, in principle, for simple

Present, in the moment love and care

Though I shall still try

To swat that damn fly!!