August 5, 2012

Still trying to get back into routine, lots of distractions, including . . . sleep!  Now it is raining!  Such a lovely rain, downpour for about 30 seconds followed by quiet rain, followed by more downpour, and now rain with patches of sun!  Bright glaring sun and rain together . . . a sunshower.  It looks like soon there will be more rain from all the darkening gray at the edges of the horizon.  The birds must be sheltered as the yard is empty again, and you know the cat will not be out if there is even the possibility of rain.   He hates getting wet!  

I know Honey cut down the cane yesterday, I heard him doing it, but I see little white shoots already <chuckle>  I think that is just marvelous though I know it will not please the husband The rain has washed all the dust of everything green and it all looks like spring except for being darker than new.  The new smooth wood of the crepe myrtle is shining now that all the old bark has fallen off.  Too bad those trees are mostly not big enough to make furniture out of, though I would say mine is getting to be pretty good size, though I would not want to cut it down for that purpose. 

Today is Sunday and time for the blessing, and, oh I think this week I need the blessing.

Begin

Begin again to the summoning birds

to the sight of light at the window,

begin to the roar of morning traffic

all along Pembroke Road.

Every beginning is  a promise

born in light and dying in dark

determination and exaltation of springtime

flowering the way to work.

Begin to the pageant of queuing girls

the arrogant loneliness of swans in the canal

bridges linking the past and future

old friends passing though with us still.

Begin to the loneliness that cannot end

since it perhaps is what makes us begin,

begin to wonder at unknown faces

at crying birds in the sudden rain

at branches stark in the willing sunlight

at seagulls foraging for bread

at couples sharing a sunny secret

alone together while making good.

Though we live in a world of dreams of ending

that always seems about to give in

something that will not acknowledge conclusion

insists that we forever begin.

Brendan Kennelly

Here at the window is the sudden rain, and the stark branches, and all of us on this Sunday morning beginning again, as we do every day, beginning another day, another week, starting over, carrying sunny secrets, wonder at unknown faces, and even loneliness, into the future.  The blessing is time, time to do the beginning, and never have I felt so grateful for the time to do that, to sit here writing, watching the sky change, thinking about all the lovely people in my life and how luck I am to have them.  It's more blessing than I possibly deserve, but then if we had to deserve our blessings there would be so few of them.  It's good God just showers them down and all we have to do is take them up and appreciate them.  And, oh, this morning I am so appreciating them!

The thunder is beginning again, and a little rain is making the leaves twitch and dance.  The water bowl is full to the brim now and trembling with raindrops, cars round the corner, their headlights gleaming.  It's Sunday, and we all are blessed with so many beginnings, each moment new as a baby with all those possibilities!  They say gratitude is an attitude, well, this morning, I am just chock-full of attitude!