These Are My JOTtings, Part #2

Taking a Break

Sometimes life can be too much
of life's responsibilities.
The resting hours of softest touch
can change the stress by large degrees.

The gapless life is wall to wall
with many things to say and do,
but margins often give us call
to stop awhile, restore us new.

A band director in my youth,
once quoth these words to our whole team,
"To play the rests is as much truth
as notes, that shine like sunny beams."

His actual words, a bit more terse,
commanded silence when we played
for he was naught, if not averse
to sounds when rests must be obeyed.

So, take a break, Dear Trudging Soul,
when life your spirit, thus weighs down,
and soon, again, you'll be made whole.
A smile will flip your low'ring frown.

by Jay O’Toole
on January 28th, 2022