(Candace #14) — It’s been a while since the wife shared her two cents. Funny how the well can suddenly go dry. You lower the bucket, hoping for at least a refreshing swallow, and it comes up dry as chalk.
So today was about doing some replenishing. For an introvert, a day with no people-agenda can be a beautiful thing (not that we don’t love people — we just have to pace ourselves). Living artfully means listening to your rhythms and taking time to rest the soul.
Always, I’m reminded of how quickly nature fills the senses in a healing way. Despite the pesky pollen, the wildflowers, freshly budded trees and luscious green grass are such a treat right now. Combine a long walk with some journaling, reading and film-watching, and you’ve got half my recipe for a relaxing day (really yummy food would be another part of that equation).
I love the story about the American who went backpacking in a foreign country and hired a local guide to lead the way. The guide stopped early the first afternoon and started setting up camp. “We’ve still got a few hours of daylight,” the American said. “Why don’t we push on?”
“We’ve been hiking since dawn,” the guide replied. “Now it’s time for our souls to catch up with our bodies.”
Dear Candace…
Your anti-America rant demands a response. So, here it is.
First, you complain about lowering your bucket somewhere and coming up dry. You can’t fool me. That was nothing more than a cheap shot at innocent water districts that want nothing more than to make huge profits wheeling subsidized northern California water to southern California’s destitute land developers so they can build a few more seven-hundred-thousand-dollar homes. Get off their backs!
Then you launch into your anti-growth position–we all saw through it–by declaring how nice it is not to have people around. A veiled shot at the patriotic duty of every American to grow the economy so that there is a steadily increasing demand for commodities such as water, and for membership in Rotary.
After that, you drift into something about reading and nature and, irrespective of the plight of car dealerships, backpacking around the countryside. How is that supposed to get more SUVs on the road?
What’s your problem.
Paul Wertz
Eugene, OR
Ha, ha! Good stuff, Paul. I can’t put anything past you, can I?
Seriously, hope you are doing well up in that state to the north.