Robin Wall Kimmerer is the creator of the blessing for today
(She’s also the author of ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’…by the way)
Her thought which, for us, is more of an allegory
When she says:
Maybe there is no such thing as rain;
there are only raindrops,
each with their own story
Robin Wall Kimmerer is the creator of the blessing for today
(She’s also the author of ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’…by the way)
Her thought which, for us, is more of an allegory
When she says:
Maybe there is no such thing as rain;
there are only raindrops,
each with their own story
From the deck of our cabin nestled high in the trees is a great place I maintain
to ponder the meaning of life as you sit and watch the rain.
You see each raindrop gently falling…you hear the woosh of sound
and you realize not every raindrop makes it to the ground
You hear some raindrops hit the roof and from your unique point of view
you see the tree extend each leaf to catch a drop or two.
You look out over the railing…mesmerized at how the raindrops glide
to see some land on flowers in the garden with their blooms and petals open wide.
You see raindrops gather in the birdbath… and immediately you think
how the water will be waiting for the birds to swim in…or to drink.
If you listen very closely and through the trees you take a peek
you can hear and see some raindrops as they plop into the creek.
As you watch the rain continue….it’s inevitable…
a smile will cross your face
when you realize the rain’s only mission is to make the world a better place.
Yes, as raindrops feed the lakes and rivers…nourish each animal and plant
you understand they are sent to Earth to enhance…to nurture…to enchant.
And you begin to wonder why we were sent here…
perhaps it is easy to explain…
we are all here to live a life similar…to a single drop of rain.
There are two paths we can take
when life gives us lemons….
as we tell ourselves to keep going…
not to quit
The first is to make those lemons into lemonade
The second…
is send them back
and ask for chocolate.
Deborah happened on it by chance…and it had immediate allure
an advertisement in Asheville…for chocolate factory tour.
“We get to tour a chocolate factory.” she said. “And taste chocolate. It’s a win win.
Before you could say Willy Wonka I yelled, “Did you say chocolate…count me in.”
We showed up early at the chocolate factory…and were immediately aware
how the sweet delicious aroma of chocolate was wafting in the air.
We shared a look and a smile as we opened up the door.
We were literally now two children about to enter a candy store.
We learned a lot about chocolate…and about the French Broad company too…then we got to taste some chocolate from India, Nicaragua…and Peru.
There were people on the tour who could taste the differences…
“I taste citrus or flowers they’d say” and others would agree….
but with my less than epicurean palate…they all tasted the same to me.
Next we took a tour…where our tour guide happily conveyed….
from the cacao bean to the final product…how chocolate is made.
There was one point where we stood under a pipe…on the very tips of our toes
and the sweet smell of chocolate was pumped right up our nose.
We bought some chocolate for the road and Deborah said…undaunted
I think with this chocolate factory tour…I now have everything I ever wanted…
“Don’t forget what happened to the couple who got everything they wanted.” I said
as we floated out of the factory…a blend of joy and bliss and laughter….
“What happened to them?” Deborah asked…
“I smiled caressing my bag of chocolate and in my best Willy Wonka voice said,
“They lived happily ever after.”
May you be blessed today when you least expect it…
with beauty, grace and style
an old memory will sneak up on you
and make you smile…for a while.
Today a mountain memory that goes back to a time
when our children were younger…more carefree
when out of Grandpa’s garden Ali picked her Sweet Potato Manatee.
We live in Florida…where many a manatee can be found…
but we never saw one that far north…
or for that matter…buried in the ground.
We joked as a family as to how much this treasure might be worth
after all Ali had discovered the smallest manatee on Earth.
Since it’s known as calm and well tempered and as friendly as a mammal can be
that summer Ali decided to adopt her sweet potato manatee.
It’s a summer in the mountains none of us will ever forget…
when Ali, an animal lover, kept a sweet potato as a pet.
“Are you going to eat it?” She was asked by many an amused and smiling stranger
to which Ali would roll her eyes and answer, “We can’t…manatees are in danger.”
The problem that I’m sure has dawned on you…as it did to this reporter…
a manatee can live for 60 years…a sweet potato’s life…is shorter.
My memory’s a little fuzzy as to that manatee’s final fate…
but I do know that is one sweet potato our family never ate.
I suppose in the end that was the good natured playfulness of fate…of destiny
leaving us…among others memories that summer…one of a sweet potato manatee.
The other day a Dobson fly landed on me…and I mistakenly had this hunch
that his reason was a simple one…he wanted me for lunch
Since then I’ve done a little reading…and I think my first though was out of whack
for legend says a Dobson fly is given an extra set of wings…
So an angel can ride on it’s back.
And anyone visited by a Dobson fly…need not be afraid or feel blue.
It only means an angel has decided to visit you.
What made me change my thinking…what brought my initial conclusion in doubt
was the person, earlier that week, we were thinking and talking about.
28 years ago Ali’s friend, Chrissy, came with us to the mountains.
They were still in high school…both having yet to hit their prime.
In the two weeks we shared together…we had a wonderful time.
But Chrissy’s later years were troubled…filled with heartache, pain and strife
and years after our two weeks together…Chrissy took her life.
We were on the Blue Ridge Parkway when we thought of Chrissy…
Wondered about her, her life, her death…and all the years that have gone by.
when, the next day, by a river I was visited by a Dobson fly.
A Dobson fly who was not interested eating me my mid day snack.
A Dobson fly who, in all likelihood, had Chrissy on his back.
I like to think Chrissy heard us talking…listened to every line
then hitched a ride on a Dobson fly to let us know…she is doing fine.
I like to think that Chrissy with Dobson fly in tow
still remembers fondly those two weeks…28 years ago.
I don’t know where this legend started…how it initially came to be.
but I will look a little closer the next time a Dobson fly lands on me.
The other day a Dobson fly landed on me…and I mistakenly had this hunch
that his reason was a simple one…he wanted me for lunch
Since then I’ve done a little reading…and I think my first though was out of whack
for legend says a Dobson fly is given an extra set of wings…
So an angel can ride on it’s back.
And anyone visited by a Dobson fly…need not be afraid or feel blue.
It only means an angel has decided to visit you.
What made me change my thinking…what brought my initial conclusion in doubt
was the person, earlier that week, we were thinking and talking about.
28 years ago Ali’s friend, Chrissy, came with us to the mountains.
They were still in high school…both having yet to hit their prime.
In the two weeks we shared together…we had a wonderful time.
But Chrissy’s later years were troubled…filled with heartache, pain and strife
and years after our two weeks together…Chrissy took her life.
We were on the Blue Ridge Parkway when we thought of Chrissy…
Wondered about her, her life, her death…and all the years that have gone by.
when, the next day, by a river I was visited by a Dobson fly.
A Dobson fly who was not interested eating me my mid day snack.
A Dobson fly who, in all likelihood, had Chrissy on his back.
I like to think Chrissy heard us talking…listened to every line
then hitched a ride on a Dobson fly to let us know…she is doing fine.
I like to think that Chrissy with Dobson fly in tow
still remembers fondly those two weeks…28 years ago.
I don’t know where this legend started…how it initially came to be.
but I will look a little closer the next time a Dobson fly lands on me.
Spend a little time in nature
and you’ll be blessed to understand…
how the human spirit needs places
that have not been rearranged by man
We’d just sat down to enjoy our White Duck tacos by a river…the French Broad
when we were happily surprised by the beauty of nature…surprised and a bit awed.
For the biggest insect we ever saw…from him our eyes we couldn’t avert.
decided quite suddenly to land upon my shirt.
Since this insect was new to us…and obviously not shy
we decided to google it and discovered he was a Dobson fly.
It wasn’t just for knowledge that we googled this bug
who seemed so anxious to meet me…
I was particularly interested in…because I didn’t want him to eat me.
“It’s a Dobson fly!” I told people who noticed him
as to my shirt this humongous fly adhered
Some of them smiled….some of them gasped…some recoiled in fear.
“Do not worry about me.” I said, “He’s only eats aquatic insects
and the occasional small fish he finds along the shore….
“Yes,” a science teacher who happened by agreed,
“But that does make them carnivores.”
“They are the largest aquatic insects in the world.” The teacher continued.
“And here’s another tip…”
But I had quit listening to her teachings because I swear that fly was licking his lips.”
Yes, that Dobson fly was not moving…he seemed content to wait…
Which made men wonder was it me that he was interested in eating…
or the tacos on my plate.
I didn’t want to find out…which one of us would be his prey….
so I walked him to the river…set him on a leaf…then quickly walked away.
If I had waited perhaps I’d discover something no entomologist ever knew…
that Dobson flies like tacos…and I’d be living proof they do.
