Most people abhor March. It’s not yet Spring, and many times the weather is still quite unsettled. But I find myself in awe of March. Think about what March stands for. It is the end of winter, bringing closure to the days of wintry gusts and blowing snow which many areas have grown weary of. In my part of the world, the daylight grows longer, the sunshine grows warmer and my mood grows more energetic. There begins a burning desire to organize, declutter and yes, I will say it, clean.
The countdown begins…ten, nine, eight… the ball drops and in the blink of an eye, we turn over a new day, a new month, a new year, and a new decade.
As the cool breeze of October swells into the cold blustery winds of November, I am reminded that time, indeed, is marching on. It is up to each of us to decide whether we blindly fall into place, trudging silently among the oblivious masses, headed toward some unknown destination or purpose. Or do we rebel against such robotic behavior and “march to the beat of our own drum”?
Do you know anyone who has difficulty making decisions? Everyone does. It could be a family member, or in my case, one of my closest friends. What the decision concerns is unimportant – it could be as simple as which salad dressing to have on the chef’s salad. My friend once took so long making this decision that the waiter finally brought a dry salad to the table and six small containers, each one holding a different dressing. Needless to say, our embarrassment provided him with a very healthy tip!
My Uncle Dan was quite a character. One of his greatest joys in life was portraying himself as an enigma to both family and friends. He derived such pleasure in staying one step ahead of everyone else’s thinking. It took years for me to begin to understand him. But a revelation into his psyche came the day I discovered one of his greatest traits; he loved learning.
“Have you noticed that our world is shrinking?” I’ve become acutely aware of this over the past few weeks. The immediate, worldwide media coverage of the recent Haitian earthquake, followed by the global aid response is proof that distance is unimportant. Rescue teams from all corners of the globe descended upon the island and immediately began pulling survivors from the rubble. Worldwide relief agencies began the process of food and water distribution to those in need. Medical personnel from every continent began treating the thousands of injured. And every day, the stories of heroism and despair were brought into our living rooms, making us personally involved in every process. When the world came together in Haiti, it brought HOPE.
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Twas the first of December and all through the staff
Was heard not a chuckle, a guffaw nor a laugh.
The laptops were open; all heads were bowed down,
Their fingers were flying; their faces were frowns.
There is a nip in the evening air which I hadn’t noticed until the last few days. Somewhere, somehow, Summer seems to have slipped away, without even a farewell wave. Where did it go? Why don’t I remember it even being around?
