Close and Far

I don't know about you, but my understanding of proximity is undergoing a definitional realignment.

When I was a kid, nearness was always a geographical thing. People talked to people who were nearby.

We COULD talk to folks who were far removed; we did have long distance telephoning -- but that was limited to very special occasions (births, deaths, etc) and everyone knew to talk very fast indeed because the per/minute rate was a king's ransome.

We had reunions once a year to catch up on what was happening with relatives. If we lived in different towns, it was the only time we conversed. Some people wrote letters in between reunions, but that was usually done by grandmothers who had lots of time on their hands.

Now life is very different. I find that I am close to people who use the communications tools available to us. People who email or use that ubitquitous cell phone are immediate in my experience.

At the same time, a person three offices down from mine with whom I do not exchange email might just as well be several states removed.

Somehow the definitions of proximity and nearness have changed. I wonder what the ripple effect of that will be?

New day

Saturday morning I was in the Tahoe and headed out of town while it was still dark. I love watching the night turn to day.

On Saturday, it was cold and mostly clear. The temperature on the vehicle's thermometer bounced from 40 to 39 to 42 to 37 as we rolled along the highway.

The sky just above the horizon to the east began to grow slightly lighter, changing from black to charcoal grey. Trees and buildings began to show in silhouette in a tone-on-tone subtlety, scarcely visible but undeniable.

I'm amazed by the acuity of our eyes, the distinctions of our perceptions. The eye-brain team is truly a wonderment!

A tiny hint of red-orange invades the charcoal grey of the eastern sky. The grey lightens to a medium grey and extends its reach to a larger part of the horizon. The barest bits of pink and lilac begin to appear on the wispy, striated clouds angling across that part of the sky.

I love this part of dawn. It's still dark, but the promise of light, the promise of color is vivid in its potential. All the earth seems to be holding its breath, anticipating the day that is surely coming.

Then the tiny glints of pink and gold and lilac and aqua begin to show on clouds throughout the whole dome of the sky, as the approaching sun stretches its influence across the entire expanse. Everywhere you look, the signs of morning are unfolding, blossoming.

The eastern sky lightens and lightens, to a delicate aqua with gold highlights, pulling everyone's attention to the east. Does on the edge of a pasture stare at the spectacle. Strangely, we roll past a field where buffalo snort their foggy-looking breath in the early morning air; they too seem frozen in amazement as the sun trumpets its nearness.

Finally, the glory of the morning sun glides over the horizon, shooting powerful red-orange rays in all directions, setting bushes and trees and barns aglow. The blazing shafts of light make the morning dew sparkle and provides a rosy excitement to ordinary things.

As I said, I never tire of this daily celebration of a new day. What a joy to watch the earth wake up to a fresh morning, full of promise!

Bumpy cough drops

It's that time of year: time for sniffles and coughs and the usual winter ailments.

It's hard to go any place where you don't hear someone clearing his throat or sneezing or snorting. The paraphenalia of sickness takes over too. Boxes of tissues pop up on every table and cabinet, and space heaters proliferate.

Along with the tissues, comes an array of pills and nose spray and the ubiquitous cough drop.

I'm partial to cherry flavored cough drops, and I typically buy the store brand variety. I do wonder, however, why those cough drops are molded the way they are.

I can't really see what the shape is supposed to represent. I'm sure it was supposed to have some brand significance even though it is invisible to me and therefore totally ineffective in that regard.

The bumpy surface does get my attention, however, because it has a tendency to tear up the roof of my mouth.

So -- here's the picture: you are sick to begin with. Your nose is stuffy and sore. Your throat hurts. And now to top it all off, the roof of your mouth is injured and painful.

I think we need to adopt a policy that requires all cough drops to be smoothly shaped. Is that too much to ask?

Bouquets of Friends

I've noticed that I don't so much pick my friends as they pick me, or maybe more accurately, we become friends as a result of circumstances, not because of a strategic plan on my part.

Does that mean that I am a lazy friend? Does that mean that others should not value my friendship? No, I don't think so. Our friendships are valid and strong and nonetheless beautiful despite their haphazard origins. We are thrown together in shared activities (our kids' soccer team) or whatever, and relationship grows.

For me, it doesn't happen with everyone in my path -- I think there are probably others who become friends with everyone they meet! How wonderful! -- but for me, there is some sort of chemistry that either takes place or doesn't.

And as I get older, I love the decades-long friendships that I have with a few people. We've seen each other through all sorts of life experiences, and the depth of our relationships is comforting.

On the other hand, it is still a delight to make a new friend. The uncharted territory of new perspectives, new opinions, new experiences is exciting. (And suddenly all my old stories are new again!)

Friends are certainly one of the sweetest blessings in life.

Over the years I've realized that all my friends are not created equal. By that, I mean that each person has his/her own personality, strengths, and weaknesses. Each person is valuable for his/her own unique traits, and one of the best things in my life is that my friends contribute to my daily walk in many different ways.

There are friends that make me laugh. There are friends that see through me and hold me accountable. There are friends who talk about deep thoughts with me. There are friends who are comforting to share time with, and on and on.

I'm blessed to have a whole bouquet of friends.