The Healthy Spiritual Journey • April 2026: This Wild and Precious Life

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – Mary Oliver

What an astonishing gift we have been given! The poet, Mary Oliver, calls it “…one wild and precious life”. Our endlessly creative and loving God has entrusted us with this gift, but what we plan to do with it has many possible answers. Too often, we drift through our days on autopilot, moving from task to task barely noticing the world around us. We forget to look up, be intentional, take deep breaths, or marvel at the beauty of creation. In a recent Chicago Tribune article, columnist Heidi Stevens wrote: “I’m grateful for any guidance that shakes us out of autopilot in our one wild and precious life.” 

If we are willing to pause long enough to pay attention, we might discover truths and astonishing discoveries that have been there all along – the world is overflowing with nature’s splendor, joy-filled surprises, and amazing people. Sunrises and sunsets paint the sky in colors that no artist or photographer can possibly replicate. Spring blooms offer a vibrant array of colors – from delicate cherry blossoms to bold tulips. A family member or friend who shares our stories might call to simply say hello. An unexpected kindness from a stranger reminds us that humankind is full of good people. What a miracle that we are alive on this spinning planet, surrounded by people whose lives intersect with ours in ways both ordinary and extraordinary. This is a wild and precious life! 

With rare exceptions, the fabric of our lives is woven with blessings – some obvious, some subtle, and some waiting patiently to be noticed. These gifts are reminders of our God who seems to delight in blessing us abundantly. Our cups will overflow with those blessings as long as our cups are right-sized; and when overflowing, there will be plenty to share with others in this wild and precious life. 

In gratitude for God’s abundant blessings, many ask: “What should I do? What is my purpose?” Since humankind was made in God’s image, we carry within us sparks of creativity, compassion, and courage. Those attributes will serve us well as we blend the sacred into everyday life. I am persuaded that at least part of our purpose on earth is to help one another and love one another, fellow travelers that we are, through this unpredictable (and oftentimes difficult) journey on planet earth. Amazingly, when we help others, we often help ourselves too, and possibly find our purpose navigating this wild and precious life. 

The adjectives, wild and precious, seem paradoxical as descriptors for life. But if wild describes something that we are intensely enthusiastic about, and precious is something too important to waste, we might do well if we incorporate those two words into our decision-making. They might inspire us to a higher level of living as we answer Mary Oliver’s question about what we plan to do with our lives. Her question invites us to step into the fullness of who we are and who we are becoming. It reminds us that our lives – wild, precious, imperfect, beautiful – should be lived with enthusiasm, intention, and joy. One of God’s most important gifts, this wild and precious life, is just too important to waste! 

In God’s love,

Lanny F. Wilson, MD

“So God created humankind in [God’s] image…” - - Genesis 1:27a