happiness
there's just no accounting for happiness,
or the way it turns up like a prodigal
who comes back to the dust at your feet
having squandered a fortune far away.
and how can you not forgive?
you make a feast in honor of what
was lost, and take from its place the finest
garment, which you saved for an occasion
you could not imagine, and you weep night and day
to know that you were not abandoned,
that happiness saved its most extreme form
for you alone.
no, happiness is the uncle you never
knew about, who flies a single-engine plane
onto the grassy landing strip, hitchhikes
into town, and inquires at every door
until he finds you asleep midafternoon
as you so often are during the unmerciful
hours of your despair.
it comes to the monk in his cell,
it comes to the woman sweeping the street
with a birch broom, to the child
whose mother has passed out from drink.
it comes to the lover, to the dog chewing
a sock, to the pusher, to the basketmaker,
and to the clerk stacking cans of carrots
in the night.
it even comes to the boulder
in the perpetual shade of pine barrens,
to rain falling on the open sea,
to the wineglass, weary of holding wine.
by jane kenyon (1947 - 1995)
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tropical storm ophelia is still passing through so it's been alternating pouring and drizzling with brief interludes when one can walk without an umbrella. greg and i drove out to queens to see korrina and josh for a late breakfast.
it began pouring when we arrived so we visited the closest restaurant to their apartment, the skillman, where we've been before. i also chose the same dish i had at that time, ricotta pancakes. so good! (very fluffy.) greg and korrina both had the irish breakfast and josh had a burger.
we took a walk to the pet store to see if they had a particular pheromone spray korrina once bought there, to help with my three crazy cats (zuzu and pluto could use a little help staying calm with each other). (they didn't have it . . i'll have to look it up online - feliway thunderease.)
we passed this beautiful community garden . .
and these three lovely women who were just leaving after having gardened all morning. they were very friendly and encouraged korrina to come and visit and get involved. i think korrina feels a little too busy with work, but it would be nice. it's so lush and so . . convenient!
the woman with the black umbrella is heidi, and the others introduced themselves but i've forgotten their names, which frustrates me. i'm usually quite good at remembering names. (and korrina remembered their names, rita and joy.)
it was a fun afternoon.
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photos from chanda! she had a very rainy and blustery visit to plum island . .
she said they were very cold and got very wet. i hope she still has vitamin c powder to take when she gets back to the dorm.
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