“My work is loving the world.” So begins the poem Messenger, by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver, who died this week at the age of 83. Oliver delivered intimate observations of nature and deepened our understanding of life’s essence in few, choice words. “Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird— equal seekers of sweetness. Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums…” And though there were no hummingbirds or sunflowers to be found here yesterday, I nevertheless felt compelled to walk down the starkly cold winter road in honor of Mary Oliver and to… Read More