July 24, 2021
Today was an absolutely perfect July day and I'm not going to ruin it by looking at the news.
Buddy finally broke out the camera again this week, so I'm letting him take the wheel tonight.
I'll see you tomorrow.
[Photo, "Good Morning," by Buddy Poland]
I often wake about 3 am and get up for a while. Settle down in the recliner with a cup of tea and pull up the day's Letter. I work through it and the comments, absorbed for an hour or two while the cat sleeps in my lap. So much to think about. The community here is at least as important to me as your writing. Complimentary. So much to reflect upon. Then once a week there is a rest. A beautiful picture to gaze at, gentle comments of caring and support. I read every one, heart quite a few. As a kid, I never understood that imposed day of rest each week, but here it seems exactly right. Thank you Heather and Buddy and community.
I am in NH at a horse bodywork clinic that I have wanted to do for a long time. It is the first time Ive been away from home since before Covid. I brought my travel trailer and am staying in an old farm field by a singing stream. I keep thinking about previous camping trips and realize there is no going back. So much has happened since and we are each changed as is our world. I ate dinner is a pretty down on its luck town in Trump country. Could hear jokes about rainbow flags coming from the bar. When I asked the waitress if They could leave the chicken off the pasta she screwed up her brow. I thought I guess not. Then she said I have to charge you the same amount in a very apologetic way. That hadn't even crossed my mind to ask to pay less. Then she came up with the idea of giving me extra broccoli and her face cleared. I felt a number of emotions over this exchange. Worrying about each and every penny is something I am fortunate not to have the burden of. How does that burden affect people in their every day lives? Their relationships? Their ability to share their gifts? How they feel about their world and their politics? What other burdens go side by side? A reminder to try to listen behind the noise on the surface as hard as it can be. And that I believe our party really does want to try to lift all boats, seeing that we all thrive more when we all thrive.