The weather in Virginia is a con. Last weekend, I was in Hillsboro, Virginia with members of what has been re-dubbed “the woo woo crew”. When we awoke for our hike, I looked out the window and saw fog hugging the mountaintops. It was grey, but I wasn’t fooled. Mercifully, it was a cloudy day but still humid, because we took a wrong turn in the woods and our short walk turned into a 5 mile hike.
This morning, I fell for the con - reasoning that it was late September and before noon. I didn’t realize the temperature was creeping up to the 80s and the humidity was at 64%. Sweat dripped off my face as I weeded, planted yarrow, and moved my planter into place. Needless to say, I didn’t tackle the basement next. Maybe in January? Kidding. Kind of.
I feel our house has gotten away from us in a way where you stand around looking and thinking, “I’d put that away if only I knew where it belonged. How did we accumulate so much shit mail? Oh gosh - I need to return that library book I never made the time to read.” I think this is because I’ve returned to work in an office - so the two of us aren’t here to tuck things away or recycle the mail on a daily basis. Plus, working in an office generates a surprisingly large quantity of laundry.
Andrea and I went to see Guster at the botanical garden on my birthday eve. I’m the type of person who it would never think to buy concert tickets. But during and/or after the concert, I’m glad it occurred to my concert companion (who is Andrea and knows I’m a weirdo like this). Plus? Let’s gaze at Adam. Shall we?
This week, I wrote a post about turning 50 that felt like a shitty first draft of something. It’s funny what comes out when you throw words on paper. As I drove to work the next morning, I thought, “I didn’t even write about finishing my degree. Or work.” That thought was immediately followed by, “Well - that stuff doesn’t matter. It’s the people and events that shaped me. That’s what matters.” It’s like I’d tossed a few fistfuls of years into a colander and gently sifted and that’s what came out - significant people, significant events. Perhaps this is the wisdom of 50? Because it didn’t always feel like that. I remember my high school classmates graduating from college and saying to my mom, “EVERYONE is graduating from college except me.”
“No, they aren’t. Not everyone.” Mom said.
Turns out she was right and it didn’t matter that I was six years behind. It never mattered.
Last Saturday, after the walk turned hike, we had a yoga class. I’d pulled the death card right before class and while in class had this irrational, panicky thought about a friend who’s ill. Now, let me say that the death card doesn’t represent physical death. It represents a significant life phase ending, or a profound transformation. It can mean that a person is growing and changing, and that a transformation is happening or needed for greater things to come. I know this but panicked anyway and immediately texted this person after the class.
What’s striking to me is how this person always asks, “how are you?” Even though life has handed him a picnic basket full of shit sandwiches. There’s a lesson in that - this is the type of person shows us who to be.
We’re just one day older
Surprise, surprise
Chasing fireflies as the sky turned gray
Trapped in mason jars as they flash and fade
The church around the corner has a sign
“The end is near but help is right inside”
Whatever gets you through the night
They had their time but now it’s over
You’ve got to take a photograph over your shoulder
Guster
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