I started this blog to share some of the thoughts I have along the journey of life. I love to travel and spend time with my family and friends. A good meal, breaking bread with those I love, gives my life meaning. So does travel. I adore dreaming of sites to visit, not just to check them off on a list. Rather, I consider myself a student of life, traveling as an explorer, to open my mind to all the possibilities the world holds in store for me and for others. I love to travel to discover how different the world is in terms of climate, cultures, politics, terrain, economy, etc. but also to discover how SIMILAR the people are. Despite language barriers, much can be communicated with a smile or gestures. Language is simply a means to communicate, yet there are so very many other ways to communicate. Once when I was in French-speaking Canada, I realized that my 7th grade French class didn’t teach me the word for “straw”. However, when I thought about it, I was able to communicate to the very French-speaking waiter in a very French-speaking restaurant about my need for a “cylinder through which to drink” in my limited French vocabulary. Travel challenges the mind and soul, stretching us to problem solve and form conclusions about all that we experience. THAT is the type of travel I enjoy best. “All’s well that ends well”, as they say………….”Life is Good” as well.
A few years back I remembered reading about a place where one can actually go “sledding” down a hill of white sand. Longing to teach my Florida child, “Teen Traveler” a bit about another kind of sledding, I couldn’t wait to go there. We planned a trip to New Mexico to see this incredible place of large dunes. I learned this white sand isn’t really sand at all but really is gypsum, a mineral that covers about two hundred and seventy-five square miles of desert in New Mexico. Gypsum is used for many things, I learned. It can be used as plaster in surgical casts, as an additive in many foods (ice cream and tofu among others), for brewing beer and mead, for creating drywall, wallboard, plasterboard, for binding tennis court clay, as molds for dental impression plasters, as a hardening agent in Portland cement, in chalk, in hair products and even in some toothpastes.
White Sands National Park, known as the world’s largest gypsum dunefield, is located approximately fifteen miles southwest of Alamagordo. Some time during World War II, the military started using this place for scientific research and missile testing in the area. Missile tests are still conducted near here from time to time. The dunes are sixty feet high in some spots and are breathtaking to see. The bright blue sky against the whitish dunes is remarkable, almost other worldly.
There are picnic areas and limited back country camping allowed in some spots here. At the visitor center, you can purchase a round saucer-type plastic sled along with some wax to coat the bottom of the sled to make it easier to slide down the dunes. You may also bring your own plastic sled from home, as this is allowed. Round saucer-type sleds seem to work best, though. Sledding is lots of fun here, and so is climbing back up to the top of the dunes afterwards. Although currently closed because of the covid pandemic, normally the visitor center is open 364 days a year (closed on Christmas). The visitor contains a gift shop with snacks and drinks, too, along with rest rooms. There is no water available on the dune fields, so plan ahead. It can get very hot out there.
Life is good. Go out and have some fun all over again. Sledding for both children and adults is a blast.
I am well on my way to finishing one of my “bucket list” items, to visit all fifty states during my lifetime. To date, I have visited thirty-eight states so far. That means only TWELVE states remaining to visit.
Not too long ago, we visited New Mexico because we had never been there. I was especially interested in visiting Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument because I love geologic formations. Located about forty miles from Santa Fe, New Mexico, in north central New Mexico, these breathtaking rock formations were formed by volcanic activity six to seven million years ago. The landscape here is breathtaking with its pointed cones, or hoodoos, of pumice, ash and tuff.
Stunning pinkish and gray stripes on the hoodoos are the result of layers of volcanic material that were deposited there.
If you are ambitious, you can hike three hundred feet to get to the top of the mesa for a spectacular view (of COURSE we did it).
Hours of operation are between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., with the last entry at 4:00 PM. Entrance fees are $5.00 for groups of up to eight people. While there are restrooms on site, it is important to bring your own canteen or water bottle, as there is no drinking water available there.
The hoodoos of the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico were worth the trip in my opinion. These pointed hoodoos were like nothing I’ve ever seen before and took my breath away.
Life is good. Try to find something that takes your breath away today and make a plan for the time when you can travel again. Armchair travel to places I’ve been or to places I want to go keeps me sane while living life through a lens and self-isolating during this pandemic.
Spring here in Florida is one of my favorite times of year. The evenings are still cool, and it is a perfect time to take a stroll in the neighborhood shortly after it dusk. Somehow the fragrances in the neighborhood are more heightened in the twilight. Walking around the neighborhood, I encounter a scent somehow reminiscent of lemons. It is a scent that always stops me in my tracks for a moment so that I may pause to enjoy the magical fragrance before continuing my walk. This is the magical and unmistakable scent of the Southern Magnolia, which usually blooms from April to June. I am fortunate enough to have one of these beautiful trees which permeates my own backyard with such a sweet-smelling scent while I relax by the pool.
Not only is the scent of the Southern Magnolia magical, but the blooms, which can be eight to ten inches across are equally impressive. The elliptical foliage is dark and evergreen with smooth edges and a rust-colored underside. The tree grows strong and tall and can be approximately eighty feet tall at maturity. The girth of the Magnolia tree is equally impressive, as it can grow to be forty feet in diameter. These trees can live an average of eighty to one-hundred and twenty years.
“I’ve always loved Magnolia trees and their blooms. There is something so beautiful about a Magnolia blossom. It demands attention, and you can’t help but love those big, creamy, petals and that fragrant smell.”
-Chip Gaines, star of HGTV’s “Fixer Upper”
Former President Barak Obama presented a Magnolia tree propagated from a Magnolia on the grounds of the White House to South Korea to remember and honor those that lost their lives in a ferry accident there, saying the Magnolia tree “represents beauty, and, with every spring, renewal.” Former President Obama also gave a Magnolia tree to Israel as a symbol of strength, perseverance, and dignity. This Magnolia tree was grown from a seedling from the tree President Andrew Jackson planted at the White House about one-hundred and eighty years ago as a memorial to his deceased wife. Former First Lady Michelle Obama also gave two Magnolia seedlings to Cuba as a gesture of reciprocation to Cuba for sharing the beauty of their culture with the United States.
While I walk around my neighborhood, I am reminded of a dream that Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology Carl Jung had in which he described a certain place:
“….In the center was a round pool, and in the middle of it a small island. While everything round about was obscured by rain, fog, smoke and dimly lit darkness, the little island blazed with sunlight. On it stood a single tree, a magnolia, in a shower of reddish blossoms. It was as though the tree stood in the sunlight and were at the same time the source of light.”
-“Memories, Dreams and Reflections” by Carl Jung
The magnolia is such an important plant that some people use magnolia bark supplement to help reduce anxiety and promote sleep. Others claim the supplements are good antioxidants in the body and brain, and it lowers inflammation and oxidative stress in the body and boosts immunity. Some people chew gum or use toothpaste with magnolia in it to help fight gingivitis and bleeding gums.
I’m not sure about the efficacy or safety of Magnolia supplements, but I do know the Southern Magnolia is a magical plant to stumble upon when walking in the cool Florida spring evenings. It serves as a symbol of light, renewal, strength, and perseverance to me when I think of our current pandemic situation. The magic and beauty of the Magnolia will prevail.
“Life is simply a magic of mayhem and magnolias, so embrace this gentle riot and gather flowers along the way. “
-Kat Savage
Life is good. Look to the beauty of the Magnolia tree this spring and the lessons we can learn from it. Don’t forget to “gather flowers along the way” in your journey today and every day through life. While every day may not be beautiful during this pandemic, there is beauty and magic moments in every day.
Today I got up early to see the sunrise. I am more of a sunset kind of gal, a night owl, who always thought one gets as much bang for the buck with a sunset as one gets with a sunrise. However, today I decided to get up early to shake things up and to step out of my comfort zone and my routine. When I got up this morning, I didn’t realize it was raining until I got into my car at 5:15 AM. When I saw the light rain once I was in my car, I decided to continue along with my plans. ” Life”, as the old saying by John Lennon goes, “is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”
I traveled to the beach to see the long-awaited, much revered sunrise and couldn’t believe it when the rains began to come down more steadily, accompanied with thunder and lightening as well. When I finally arrived at the beach and found a creative access to the beach with all the beach parking lots closed here in my county in Florida because of the Covid pandemic, the rain stopped just as I was getting out of my car. I walked to the beach and couldn’t help but think about how lucky I was and how lucky I am.
The sky began to show some signs of light at 6:15 AM, and the sunrise happened at 6:41 AM, but it was hard for me to see the sunrise because of the cloud cover. I was initially disappointed that I couldn’t see the sun actually rise above the Eastern horizon, but I enjoyed the moments nonetheless. I saw a woman with silver hair, much older than me, doing yoga on the beach.
I saw birds flying peacefully above the waves at the shore. I saw several people running along the edge of the beach, and I saw two surfers greeting the morning from inside the water. I decided I would wait and watch the morning gradually unfold before my eyes before leaving the beach. I am glad I did, as I literally saw the poetic silver lining in the clouds above me. What a way to start my day. There is a silver living to this pandemic afterall, it seems. I often tell my daughter that the sun will still rise and set on any given day, despite what happens during the day. The moon will rise, too. No matter how bad something gets, we can always count on that, and life still goes on.
“Birds flying high You know how I feel Sun in the sky You know how I feel Breeze driftin’ on by You know how I feel
It’s a new dawn It’s a new day It’s a new life For me And I’m feeling good I’m feeling good…”
-“Feeling Good” by Michael Buble
Once the sun fully illuminated the beach, I saw all kinds of surprises that I didn’t notice in the dark. Dune sunflowers dotted the landscape, and there were so many beautiful shells beneath my feet.
“Here comes the sun Here comes the sun And I say, it’s all right
Little darling It’s been a long cold lonely winter Little darling It seems like years since it’s been here
Here comes the sun Here comes the sun And I say, it’s all right
Little darling The smiles returning to the faces Little darling It seems like years since it’s been here…”
-“Here Comes The Sun” by the Beatles, written by George Harrison
I have decided that there is something special about sunrise, watching the day unfold with endless possibilities and life anew…….
Life is good. Try to see the silver linings anywhere you look today. Enjoy today as a brand new start. Enjoy every day as a brand new start. Today is the day full of endless possibilities if you look for them after the sun rises.
“We all know that you can’t go wrong with the original Nestlé Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe, right? I’m always tempted to switch out the semi sweet morsels for milk chocolate morsels but it never tastes the same. The reason semi sweet chocolate morsels are a better versatile chocolate to use are because they have a good balance of chocolate and sweetness while milk chocolate can be too sweet and dark chocolate can be overwhelming. Hence, the name semi sweet.”
-Whitney Saller-Prieto, Former Director of Operations, Burger 21, Orlando and Viera, FL
While eating oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that my husband and daughter made last evening, I couldn’t help but remember the quote above by the late, beautiful Whitney Saller-Prieto and how it applies to our life right now. We may have milk chocolate kind of days, sweet days with being home together with all those blessings, or we may have semi-sweet chocolate kind of days where we feel fortunate that we don’t have the virus but long to get society back rolling the way it was before the pandemic. We are tempted to metaphorically switch the semi-sweet chocolate of our lives for the milk chocolate time and time again in our day-to-day lives. However, enjoying the moments we have together, playing games as a family, spending time on a project or two, experimenting with a new home-made ice cream recipe (or THREE) are all moments I will treasure long after this pandemic lifts. THAT is the semi-sweet chocolate which is the balance of good, the times together with the memories we’ve created and bad, or the effects that the pandemic has created in our world right now. The beauty, then, is truly in the semi-sweet chocolate morsel after all. I have come to that realization time and time again. It’s not what happens in any given situation, it is truly our perspective. This last month has truly been a gift in very many ways, despite the bad situation we’re all in right now. Yet, the day before yesterday, I used the wrong type of chocolate in my chocolate chip ice cream, as it was the only chocolate chips I had in the house at the time. Such is life.
“Life is likea box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.”
-Forrest Gump
I would suggest that maybe lifeislike a box of chocolates because you never know what you’re going to get, but you do get to choose which chocolate you want to try. You get to spit it out, half-eaten, and try another. You get to close the box when you don’t want to try a piece, or you get to eat the whole box of chocolates. You get to share the chocolates or eat them all by yourself. You get to take the pieces of chocolate out of the box to display them on a pretty dish before eating them, or you get to eat them straight out of the box. You can eat them all at once over a few days or you get to freeze them for later. You get to experience all the different fillings, from creams to caramels, from crunchy fillings to nutty fillings, if you want as well. Or, you can eat only the cream chocolates, the caramels, or the nut-filled chocolates, too.
Life is about choices and finding the right application for the the milk chocolate or the semi-sweet. Life is about knowing when to use the right chocolate. Some days will bring about the bitter chocolate, or unsweetened chocolate, but other days it all comes together with that perfect chocolate chip cookie, made with the perfect chocolate chosen for the recipe, baked with a little bit of love, and shared with laughter with those you love. It doesn’t get any better than that.
One of my favorite things to do here in Florida is to go Alligator hunting. Not REAL hunting, but hunting with a scavenger hunt. There is a wetlands near my house in central Florida where we drive along a loop road to play a little game like “Where’s Waldo” to see if we can find “Where’s the alligator” instead. The wetlands near our house is closed because of the pandemic, but the Black Point Wildlife Drive in the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge is open. Black Point is a seven mile drive where you can see all kinds of beautiful wildlife, including wildflowers, birds( including a bald eagle), snakes, river otters or bobcats if you are lucky, and the most beautiful alligators I’ve ever seen in the wild. Here in central Florida, we are in the midst of alligator courtship season, which typically runs from April to May, and mating season is normally in May and June. Eggs are laid in mounds of soil or vegetation in June or July, and the average alligator can lay around thirty-two to forty-six eggs. Eggs hatch from mid-August to early September, and during this mating season alligators can become territorial. It is wise to stay inside your car in this loop, as it is recommended to stay at least twenty-five feet away from any alligator in the wild. Florida is a great place to see alligators in the wild, as it is estimated that there are approximately 1.5 to 2 million wild alligators here.
sign at the beginning of the refugesign at the turnoff to Black Point Wildlife Drive
The entrance fee is normally ten dollars per car and is payable with an honor system envelope provided at the little blue sign below at the entrance. Visitors retain a stub from their payment voucher in the car and deposit the remainder of the voucher in the envelope at this sign. Because of the pandemic, however, there is currently no admission fee necessary.
brochures and ticket envelopes are found here
It always amazes me to see so many wildflowers in the midst of our “moderate drought” this spring in this part of Florida.
beautiful wild gaillardia flowers line the sides of the loop road infrequent wild pink gaillardias are found among the mostly orange gaillardia wild flowersa wild butterfly on yellow wild flowers takes my breath awaymore beautiful yellow flowers along the banks of the waterthe root system of the mangrove is impressive to seebeautiful purple flowers amidst the vegetation on the banks of the waterHERE is Waldo!Is that a log or an alligator? Sometimes it is hard to tell until you look for a while to see if it moves.
The vegetation (mangrove) grows in some of the most inhospitable substrates I have seen, and the landscape is literally dotted with young plants which grab hold of the arrid land as well as the brackish water to flourish.
possible bald eagle sighting
One needs to drive VERY slowly to see the alligators swim silently in the waters or hiding among the reeds. Sometimes they are even on the banks of the water, laying out in the sun. At times, the alligator at first appears to be a floating log, but then you see movement or the swish of a tail.
Today we were fortunate enough to see an alligator near his den, which is cleared by the alligator’s snout and feet and can be up to twenty feet deep/long. Alligators are such formidable and amazing creatures.
On the way out of the Wildlife Refuge, you can see the Vehicle Assembly Building in Kennedy Space Center. This building is where the Apollo, Space Shuttle, and Saturn V rockets were assembled and completed. It is also the world’s tallest single story building.
There is nothing like the “thrill of the hunt” when looking for alligators here in central Florida, on the Space Coast. It is a great place to get out of the house, too, during this Covid pandemic and a wonderful day trip from most of central Florida.
Life is good; enjoy the sunshine and the day. Carpe diem, friends……..
I have heard so very many interesting stories of how people are killing time during self-isolation, but this story of the human spirit is one that really inspires me. One of my best friends from college has been self-isolating with her family for quite some time now in a cold New England town. At least one grown child moved back home, a humbling situation because he has been unable to work because his job in the restaurant industry has been halted because of Covid-19. This is a very difficult period in time for most people around the globe, but my best friend, the Grateful Goddess, and her husband, Golf Guy, have found a way to instill laughter in their family. Just about two months after Grateful Goddess unexpectedly and suddenly lost her grandmother that she was extremely close to, she has found the resolve to keep moving forward, embodying the spirit of the old adage that “if life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.” This family makes gallons and gallons of lemonade at a time. The sound of laughter, the warm feeling of love, and the excitement of joy fill their rooms as they make happy memories at this difficult time and any other.
“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”
Wilma Rudolph
My friend, Grateful Goddess, has always been one of my most creative friends and one of the most kind-hearted people I’ve ever met. She’s always always there for me and for everyone else. I count her among my greatest blessings and have been honored to have her as my dear friend. She selflessly and joyfully gives and gives to those she loves. It’s no wonder that this matriarch of her family found a way to give some love and laughter to her family during these trying times. Her disposition is on the quiet side, but she has a playful gleam in her eyes when she is planning something fun, which is most often. She is known for having the most amazing parties with the most amazing games that she’s come up with to entertain her extended family and friends. I’m not exactly sure if she or her husband, Golf Guy, came up with a rousing game of mini golf INSIDE their New England home recently, but they all had lots of laughs as they played mini golf, moving from room to room within their home.
“The greatest achievement of the human spirit is to live up to one’s opportunities and make the most of one’s resources.”
Luc de Clapiers
Tee-off started with hole number one in the home office….this was serious business, as you can see from the face of concentration in the photo below.
Golf Guy is one of the coolest and calmest Dads around, always willing to lend a hand to his family in any way he can. Here he sets the rules for the game and offers support as well.
Hole number two was in the living room with Golf Guy keeping score meticulously, I’ll bet. He has an easy-going spirit, but I’m sure he was “in it to win it.”
Hole number three in the dining room with evidence of other fun activities, such as puzzles all around………..the competition escalates………..
I can just hear the laughter echoing off the walls for hole number four, which was also in the dining room but was a bit more challenging……by now, the whole family was also “in it to win it.”
Hole #4 – Teeing off in the family room, but the hole is in the kitchen, which is the adjacent room. Now this is getting REALLY challenging…………
Golf Guy is the picture of agility in mind and body as he makes the corner for hole number four in the kitchen………such concentration and determination……going for the win………
This is where it starts to get really crazy…………hole #5. Tee off is in on the front hall stairs, but the hole is in the mudroom! I am almost certain this was the brainchild of Grateful Goddess, shown below. I can see her now with the gleam in her eye, concentrating, but hearing a little restrained giggle escape her lips……she is intent on winning to be sure.
The golf ball makes the corner toward the mudroom…………the crowd was roaring…….I can hear the commentator now………….
FINALLY the golf ball lands in the mudroom, OVER the inverted waste basket with the cat making sure there are no cheaters. Can’t put ANYTHING past that cat!
Tee off for hole six off throws caution to the wind……..each golfer draws in a deep breath as the ball is hit from the TOP of the stairs into the basement below……..
Hole six in the basement is known as “The One With The Most Hazards”, the hole that separates the “men from the boys” and the girls from the women………
This hole in the basement requires the golf ball to travel through the carefully crafted red tunnel to…..
the final hole in the corner………….
Scores were tallied, breaths were held, giggles escaped from mouths………and….the…..winner…..is……………GRATEFUL GODDESS! A great day indoors in this safe haven, which is always filled with the welcoming scent of something wonderful cooking on the stove or in the oven. Pandemic or no pandemic, this incredible family finds a way to laugh and create happy memories and celebrates a full life together. Their spirit and joie-de-vivre shines through again and again and is an inspiration to all who know them.
Human spirit is the ability to face the uncertainty of the future with curiosity and optimism. It is the belief that problems can be solved, differences resolved. It is a type of confidence…..”
Bernard Beckett
“The darkest moments of our lives are not to be buried and forgotten, rather they are a meory to be called upon for inspiration to remind us of the unrelenting human spirit and our capacity to overcome the intolerable.”
Vince Lomardi
“Nothing is more powerful than the human spirit.”
Charlie Grant
Forget about the pandemic for a while, even if it is a short while. Find a creative way to cope with corona and fill your home with laughter and love. Transcend whatever prevents you from having a little fun or whimsy in your day today to create joy.
Life is good; carpe diem, friends…………
“We are all capable of living lives characterized by great joy. Within each of us is an amazing human spirit that is strong enough to overcome pain and disappointment. And no matter what our current situation happens to be, or what beliefs we may currently harbor about ourselves, we can tap into that inner strength and wisdom and move forward to create more joy.”
It has been said that a good practice is to keep in mind the things for which one is thankful. To that end, I start each day whenever I think about it with an “attitude of gratitude”. Some days I forget, but most days I start the day thinking of all the wonderful things in my life for which I am thankful. I task myself to think of ten, just ten. Most times, I find myself listing many more than ten in my mind or even on a piece of paper some days.
Amidst the uncertainty that the novel coronavirus has brought to our lives individually as well as within our society, it helps to think about what is going RIGHT in our lives right now. Stop, look, and listen to all that is good in your life at this very moment. The distraction this exercise brings you might help you seize the day.
“The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.”
Mary Davis
“Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.”
Amy Collette
Life is good. Rest for a moment and be thankful. Develop an attitude of gratitude today if you don’t already have one. It helps us to see that that glass really IS half full.
There is sometimes a certain positive solitude that comes with being alone. Sometimes that solitude doesn’t have to feel lonely, however. Guillermo Maldonado once said, “Loneliness is not lack of company, it is lack of purpose.”
When we find ourselves looking straight at ourselves, or our souls when we self-isolate, we are forced to face who we are. Ralph Waldo Emerson suggested that “No one can bring you peace but yourself.”
Finding peace while stuck at home is challenging for many people from time to time. The key to finding peace seems to be to slow down and unclutter your mind and your home. Accept what is instead of what you think should be. Listen to music. Like yourself in order to like your life right now. Keep a sense of humor. Recognize that life is far too important to be taken so seriously and laugh as much as you can. Life isn’t perfect, so learn to laugh at your mistakes. Worry less and “let it go.” Don’t feel guilty. Don’t feel regret. Realize you are doing the best you can in your situation with what you have at the moment. Strive to better yourself by setting goals, but realize that your goals may shift their order of priority from time to time. Remember to have fun every day. Every single day. Do something you love and reach out to those that you love. Make your own peace with yourself so you can make peace with your life.
“You’ll never find peace of mind until you listen to your heart.”
George Michael
“If you make friends with yourself, you will never be alone.” – Maxwell Maltz
Maxwell Maltz
“Let yourself be drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not leave you astray.”
Rumi
“Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Look for peace today; you might already find it exists deep within your heart. Life is good; carpe diem, friends……………
I love a good meteor shower. I love any meteor shower. Last night, I decided to shake it up a little. I stayed up late to get my best shot of seeing the Lyrid meteor shower, which was supposed to be best between the hours of 2 AM and 5 AM. I just knew I would never get up early to see it, so it was much better for this ol’ night owl to see it LATE at night instead.
I went outside through my front door with my cozy little pink fleece blanket, as I knew I would have the best shot to see the Lyrid Meteor Showers facing the East or Northeast direction of the sky looking straight up. I knew everyone else was asleep in the neighborhood, so I put my blanket down on the grass and lay across it so I could look directly up into the sky. It had been a year or so since I’ve been supine across a blanket looking up into the night sky for the meteor shower. Normally I just “catch a glimpse” of it, but this year I wanted to see it in all its glory. Let me tell you, there are LOTS of sounds in the night at 2:00 AM in suburban America. I heard the wind swaying the Palmetto fronds with a slow and methodical swish swish sound. I heard animals in the distance and realized I wasn’t quite sure if snakes sleep at night or are most active. I couldn’t help but think that my warm body was a perfect place for a slithering reptile to crawl up against, thinking I was some type of heat rock. I tried not to let that dim my excitement, but I decided after a while it probably wasn’t the best idea being in the middle of my front yard, all alone, at 2 AM. I convinced myself to stay for fifteen minutes, and then I would go back inside where I, and any other sane person, belonged. T minus fourteen….T minus thirteen…..T minus twelve……holding my breath, waiting in anticipation, waiting for a little magic in the night sky to take my breath away. T minus eleven…..T minus ten….now WHAT was I thinking…..T minus nine…..T minus eight…….WAIT……THERE IT IS! Right before my eyes, I saw a dart of bright light race across the sky, my sky, in the blink of an eye. It was bright, bold, and beautiful. If I had been looking in another direction, I surely would have missed it. Isn’t that like everything in life, I thought to myself. One has to be ready, willing, and able, to use a colloquial expression, to see the magic, to see the beauty, to see the opportunities spread out before oneself. I decided seeing one big beautiful streak of light was well worth the wait and ventured back inside my house, back into my comfort zone.
About ten minutes later, I decided I would step out of my comfort zone once again, even for fifteen minutes, to see more of the night sky in all its splendor. I went back outside but this time leaned against the porch in case any slithering reptiles decided to inch their way towards me. Again, when I stepped out of my comfort zone, I was rewarded with seeing two more trails of light before my eyes. This time, they were not as bold and bright but beautiful nonetheless. I tried not to compare them to the showing I had just a little while earlier in the same sky and to accept them for what they were: a little slice of magic in the night sky, revealed to me after I stepped out of my comfort zone.
When I was thinking about my expectations for that second jaunt outside to see the meteor shower again, I immediately thought of the lyrics to one of Bruce Springsteen’s songs…..
“Show a little faith; there’s magic in the night, You ain’t a beauty, but hey you’re alright, Oh and that’s alright with me….”
-“Thunder Road” by Bruce Springsteen
The lighter set of streaks in the sky, I knew right away, were “alright with me” because there WAS “magic” in the night last night to be sure. I can’t wait to see the Perseid Meteor Showers again in August. I’ll even mark it on my calendar this year.
Life is good. Step out of your comfort zone whenever you can to discover or experience something new, or to discover something all over again. Life is good; life is a gift.
Carpe Diem with Caye 