My Friends

Day by day I grow more knowing in the ways of the trees and the moss and the snow on the ground, and all things are my friends.

Knut Hamsun
********************
It reached up to 56 degrees here yesterday (13.3 c) but there are still patches of snow here and there, hardly enough for a good snow ball fight. Since it was unexpectedly warm I went out and stood around without the feeling that I had to get somewhere.

Maybe it was the January thaw we didn't get in January, or the Indian Summer we didn't get last Autumn, or maybe it's the early Spring Punxsutawney Phil predicted. Whatever it was it didn't speak of the Februarys I have known in the northeast.

Every house on this street has a tree. We have our own. I went and put my hand on it. It's still asleep dreaming of buds and blossoms and maybe of the bird that comes each year, builds her nest and chatters away.

There were a series of clouds. I sat on the porch for a while and watched them, the magical sky puffs that never repeat themselves.

Down below was the determined river, catching the light and sending it back in sparkles, nature's jewels.

As I sat there I watched the cars go by. One person was in a big old hurry to get someplace while someone else was just as anxious to go in the opposite direction. I thought about movement. The river was energized to go somewhere but it's waters never stop coming. The clouds are on their way majestically. They may occasionally block the sun as they go but they can't block the light. The snow is waiting patiently to be lifted up into the air. The tree will soon awaken and start growing, slowly. One day the bird will return and start a family. Day by day things move and grow.

I thought about myself as a part of this scene, of my growing and moving here and there. We live and we accumulate a catalogue of joys and sorrows, successes and failures, gains and losses. To ponder those things it is a comfort to be among friends such as these. The tree cares nothing for my mistakes and won't leave me. The clouds don't judge me. The river will keep flowing past me even if I get things wrong. The sun shines on my justice and my injustice and so will the rain when it comes. The squirrel that runs along the wire has long ago become accustomed to my presence and is undisturbed from its activities day by day. When the bird returns she will chatter and not care if I listen or not.

I am glad to be with my friends. They are good company. They don't argue with me, criticize me or care about my faults. They keep on shining, moving and growing along with me. Day by day.

DB - The Vagabond
**************************

WINTER QUESTION
(This is not a contest)

What was the most significant event that happened in 2010?

dbdacoba@aol.com

Only 7 responses so far

I await your answer.
DB
******************************