Stain-glass Eyes

Saturday in Ann Arbor is unique to me.  I won’t attempt to say it is anyone else’s type of Saturday adventure, but a very satisfying one for me. This Saturday, before St. Patrick’s Day, the sun was rising nice, by the time I got ready to go out and walk to town. Today, I had my camera.  There were a few signs of spring I wanted document for myself.  And for my readers.   Some of my readers are from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  They wait awhile longer to see spring.  I remember the teasing Mother Nature likes to do, up there.  She dangles the feather just close enough to the cat’s nose and when he jumps for it and she jerks it up!   Mud. Smells like old coffee grounds sitting too many days on the counter. The texture of quicksand.  Never trust the look of mud and think you can gently tread through it.  It sucks your shoes or boots and penetrates every sewn-in place.  When you try to escape by pulling out, the mud has one...

This week I’ll have one, measly molar pulled out.  I’ve been fretting about it.  My imagined confrontation with pain has taken up more time and energy than necessary, I’m embarrassed to say. My cousin, Mark Ahlich, has gone through horrific pain in the last few months.  He’s battling cancer in the mouth-jaw area.  Just thinking about the continued surgeries and treatments he’s had to go through makes me wince.  Thinking about the tremendous pain and recovery he has to get through, daily.   My Cousin, Mark Something clicked in my mind.  Feelings of compassion and empathy for Mark.  They helped me to take stock of the value of my quality of life.   Mark lives day to day hanging onto doctor recommendations.  He's suffering pain from surgeries, depending on others for help and undergoing treatments.   I can’t imagine the emotional energy Mark has to use, to keep positive.  The will to separate one ...