Days are busy, time is short,

so we often keep our heads down and forge ahead.

An email in my inbox yesterday stopped me short

and reminded me to look up from my life.

My favorite farmer’s market vendor — Twin Springs Farm —

sends a chatty, enticing message each week sharing

the latest news on harvests, both fruit and vegetable.

But, this week’s newsletter is a bit different.

Following the regular farm news, the owners of Twin Springs

dedicate two pages in tribute to a farmer’s market neighbor.

“Bill Preston was a fellow vendor…a couple of decades ago he set up next to me

with buckets and buckets of gorgeous cut flowers.”

Bill “stopped raising cut flowers and planted an orchard”,

focusing on persimmons.

The lovely tribute continued to share details,

both simple and extraordinary.

The message from Twin Springs Farm

reminded me that while our days may be busy,

it is the relationships with others in community

that are the true measure.

When I go to the Farmer’s Market on Sunday,

I will thank the folks of Twin Springs for the news

Next, I will thank them for the gorgeous red, crisp apples

and vibrant green kale and arugula.

There are stories everywhere and we miss them

when we keep our heads down,

buried in our own concerns.

This week, I will keep my head up

to greet my neighbors and

partake of the news all around me.