Mary Oliver Poem #5: Don't Hesitate

If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, 
don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty
of lives and whole towns destroyed or about
to be. We are not wise, and not very often
kind. And much can never be redeemed.
Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this
is its way of fighting back, that sometimes
something happens better than all the riches
or power in the world. It could be anything,
but very likely you notice it in the instant
when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case.
Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid
of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.

    This poem intrigued me because of its title. My initial reaction was, who would hesitate to feel joy? If there are people who hesitate, why would that be? What is there to fear? I suppose this is a naive thought for me to have. Some people grow skeptical of joy because they have been scarred before, perhaps by another person or by a situation. It becomes easier to be sad and miserable because, at least then, you won't feel disappointment. This made me curious if Mary Oliver had been hurt by joy before, or if she saw other people in her life suffer from this.
    Maybe Oliver is actually encouraging us to feel joy in places where we least expect it. In our society, especially being a business major, we are taught to value wealth and power. But I think Oliver is trying to argue that joy can be found beyond these things. The joy we can find outside of riches and authority is more pure and true. For example, Oliver points to love as being a strong source of joy.
    Considering this poem in the context of my life makes me think about where I find joy. I feel like I spend a considerable amount of time doing tasks for the validation of others. It's much more difficult to ignore what society says you should do and pursue something that brings you pure joy. In that sense, I do think I fear feeling joy. I want to spend my time doing something that will make me more successful, whether that's a reality or how I am perceived. Oliver shows that relishing in joy is a brave thing to do, and I want to challenge myself to do things just for my enjoyment more often, without feeling shame.

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