Leave it to Rumi

"If everything around seems dark,

look again,

you may be the light."

 

Rumi 

 

 We could probably ALL use that reminder to BE the light;

only my batteries are on low power

and I can't find the charger! 

It's our country's 250th birthday -

which seems like it should be a big deal.

 

Only it's one of those birthdays,

for me, at least,

that I dread.

(Like my own 80th - 

which is coming in a few short years -

if I'm lucky enough to still be here.) 

 

You WANT to celebrate and be grateful

but things are FAR from perfect,

and every time you move, 

your joints remind you that you ain't what you used to be;

there are more wrinkles and grey hair than you'd like

and all those things you thought you'd accomplish are turning to

pixie dust in your head -

and that's on the days you can actually remember what they were! 

I guess it's like that for countries too.

All those hopes about equality and freedom for all,

all of the 'melting pot' imagery ,

with each nationality adding their own spice and flavor to the mix ...

it was never realized;

it never happened.

 

We might have kept getting close, 

but then, out of fear, 

out of lack of ideas of how to accomplish all that, 

out of lack of imagination, 

we turned in the opposite direction.

 

And, even if I don't know what all the answers ARE,

I know the direction we're heading in is wrong!

So, I'll continue to look for the beauty that remains -

which is there in droves

I'll continue to support artists, 

 entertain friends, 

make galettes

(this one with peaches(3) and plum (1) 

read books

(50 finished so far this year) 

and spend time with family and marvel at how they're growing.

My favorite 'circus moment' came during the high wire act when...

with no net underneath,

the acrobat artist placed a chair on the wire and then stood on the chair -

to which my 4 yr old granddaughter said, in her best parental voice -

"THAT is not a good decision;

you need to rethink that!" 

Which, of course, made all the parents and grandparents in our section 

burst out laughing. 

 

They're definitely paying attention.

 And, just to offset the romanticized version of myself from the last post,

know that AI can age you as well.

 

Celebrate the 4th as you see fit.

And try to stay cool -

like this little one in the backyard yesterday.

See you next time.