I received a newsletter from my friend Brie and her husband Jon, today. I really enjoyed reading it for the humor included, and finding out what they have been up to was awesome. I can't help but wishing I were still enough a part of their lives not to need a newsletter to catch up. So I think I'm going to try to change that.
For your information, when I start sending you all newsletters, it's because I miss you, and I wish you were still in my life. I'm glad you're a part of it right now.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Since my life became chaotic and uncomfortable last semester, I have taken to daily walks around the scum-filled pond at my school. These walks are important for me to escape the normal insanity around me and focus for a brief moment on my own insanity, clearing my mind of gunk. I like to observe the ever-changing life of nature -- the deer, the ice, the flowers, the ducks. Even though my life is a lot more comfortable this semester, I still enjoy the daily habit of returning to nature and getting some fresh air, so I continue to walk around the pond.
During the winter, the pond hibernated. There were no ducks, geese, or even scum. A thick layer of ice replaced the murky water, and a few inches of snow made the pond look like a barren wasteland. I'll admit, the death-like winter was a little depressing, but finally, spring has arrived and the pond has awakened.
The ducks and geese have returned to the pond, and in the spirit of spring, I have consistently seen two pairs of mallards and one pair of Canadian geese, each swimming, hissing, or quacking in tandem with each other as I walk by. I've heard that birds mate for life, and I can't help but wonder how the birds in the pond chose one another. Did the girl mallard see the green head of the boy and decide that he was the one she wanted to swim with for the rest of her life? Did the female goose hear the hissing of the male and decide that he would be a good protector? Or did some other mysterious force of nature bring them together? "What is love, then? Is it dictated or chosen?" (Indigo Girls)
Today, I observed something unusual and unfortunate. As always, I saw two pairs of mallards, swimming away as I approached. Normally at that point in the walk, the male goose would hiss at me, signifying that he wanted me to leave. But he wasn't there. Only the female goose stood on a rock, all alone.
So I am left to wonder if this goose will be like my widowed earring. Will she stand alone on the rock forever, waiting for her partner? Will she die of loneliness? Or will she move on?
During the winter, the pond hibernated. There were no ducks, geese, or even scum. A thick layer of ice replaced the murky water, and a few inches of snow made the pond look like a barren wasteland. I'll admit, the death-like winter was a little depressing, but finally, spring has arrived and the pond has awakened.
The ducks and geese have returned to the pond, and in the spirit of spring, I have consistently seen two pairs of mallards and one pair of Canadian geese, each swimming, hissing, or quacking in tandem with each other as I walk by. I've heard that birds mate for life, and I can't help but wonder how the birds in the pond chose one another. Did the girl mallard see the green head of the boy and decide that he was the one she wanted to swim with for the rest of her life? Did the female goose hear the hissing of the male and decide that he would be a good protector? Or did some other mysterious force of nature bring them together? "What is love, then? Is it dictated or chosen?" (Indigo Girls)
Today, I observed something unusual and unfortunate. As always, I saw two pairs of mallards, swimming away as I approached. Normally at that point in the walk, the male goose would hiss at me, signifying that he wanted me to leave. But he wasn't there. Only the female goose stood on a rock, all alone.
So I am left to wonder if this goose will be like my widowed earring. Will she stand alone on the rock forever, waiting for her partner? Will she die of loneliness? Or will she move on?
Saturday, March 28, 2009
A Single Earring
A few years ago, I received a shiny, bluish, greenish, shell-like pendant from my Aunt Angela. I loved the pendant and wore it regularly, even before I had my ears pierced. But once my ears were pierced, I needed earrings to match it. I had nothing of the sort, so I had to resort to small silver hoops, which really didn't complement the pendant at all. For a good six months, I wore my awesome necklace without awesome earrings.
For Christmas this year, my Aunt Pat bought me earrings that matched. I was so excited. I could wear the necklace and earrings with almost anything. And I did. For three months I wore my awesome pendant and my awesome earrings several times a week. Then, tragedy struck.
I had forgotten to wear backings on my awesome earrings, and I had this feeling that I would probably lose one. Loving my earrings and wanting to be a little stylish, I decided I woudl take the risk and wear them without backings. To my dismay, I lost one earring at an Irving gas station. When I finally realized it was gone, I was too late. I almost cried.
Sure, I still have one awesome earring and an awesome pendant, but now the single earring is useless. Two earrings are like life-long partners; one is a widow. I keep my widowed earring with the secret hope that I will one day return to that Iriving and see the bluish, greenish, shiny, shell-like earring waiting for me so I may reunite the separated pair.
For Christmas this year, my Aunt Pat bought me earrings that matched. I was so excited. I could wear the necklace and earrings with almost anything. And I did. For three months I wore my awesome pendant and my awesome earrings several times a week. Then, tragedy struck.
I had forgotten to wear backings on my awesome earrings, and I had this feeling that I would probably lose one. Loving my earrings and wanting to be a little stylish, I decided I woudl take the risk and wear them without backings. To my dismay, I lost one earring at an Irving gas station. When I finally realized it was gone, I was too late. I almost cried.
Sure, I still have one awesome earring and an awesome pendant, but now the single earring is useless. Two earrings are like life-long partners; one is a widow. I keep my widowed earring with the secret hope that I will one day return to that Iriving and see the bluish, greenish, shiny, shell-like earring waiting for me so I may reunite the separated pair.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
No Difference
The solitude of a city is not unlike that of a forest.
When you arrive alone, you remain alone with your thoughts,
And no one dares to bother you or even make eye contact
For fear that you might pull a gun on them.
Lonely people in a lamp lit city
And lonely people in a moon lit forest are still
Lonely people.
There’s no difference.
The peace of a city is not unlike that of a forest.
It’s a kind of peace that comes with the flow of traffic
As it is guided by green, yellow, and red,
Like the flow of a river or stream is guided by rocks and roots.
Moving cars in a rush hour city
And moving water in a rushing river are both
Deadly if you walk unprepared into the middle of them.
There’s no difference.
Living in a city is not unlike living in a forest.
Living is a game of survival of the fittest,
The wealthiest, the strongest, and the healthiest.
They win the game. Yet with no roof and no bed
The homeless drunk on the street corner
And the wandering white tailed deer under the apple tree --
Both survive.
There’s no difference.
Falling in love with a city is not unlike falling in love with a forest.
When you fall in love with a place, you leave your heart there,
And heartless people are everywhere.
So remember your heart and the place that you love,
Because when you’re in the midst of a concrete, sky-scraping city,
Or when you’re in the shade of a moss-covered path in the forest,
You’re still you.
There’s no difference.
When you arrive alone, you remain alone with your thoughts,
And no one dares to bother you or even make eye contact
For fear that you might pull a gun on them.
Lonely people in a lamp lit city
And lonely people in a moon lit forest are still
Lonely people.
There’s no difference.
The peace of a city is not unlike that of a forest.
It’s a kind of peace that comes with the flow of traffic
As it is guided by green, yellow, and red,
Like the flow of a river or stream is guided by rocks and roots.
Moving cars in a rush hour city
And moving water in a rushing river are both
Deadly if you walk unprepared into the middle of them.
There’s no difference.
Living in a city is not unlike living in a forest.
Living is a game of survival of the fittest,
The wealthiest, the strongest, and the healthiest.
They win the game. Yet with no roof and no bed
The homeless drunk on the street corner
And the wandering white tailed deer under the apple tree --
Both survive.
There’s no difference.
Falling in love with a city is not unlike falling in love with a forest.
When you fall in love with a place, you leave your heart there,
And heartless people are everywhere.
So remember your heart and the place that you love,
Because when you’re in the midst of a concrete, sky-scraping city,
Or when you’re in the shade of a moss-covered path in the forest,
You’re still you.
There’s no difference.
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