Going Inkless

Whenever we suffer misfortune, the first thing on our minds is WHY. Why me? Why now? Why do bad things happen when I'm trying to do everything right? Don't tell me you've never thought one of these things. I've said them all, continue to say them, and will say them again next time something goes wrong. It's natural to believe there is cause and effect in play or to seek some sort of reason in the mess. We wonder what we did to deserve the misfortune. Or else, we wonder if the Universe, God, or whatever power we believe controls our life, is trying to tell us something. Human though it may be, assuming we have brought bad luck to our door is a dangerous way to think. I firmly believe in a balance, and that what we do affects others and may return to us in time. However, I can't assume that the cause and effect are always so straightforward and easy to see. While we can benefit from examining our actions for clues, our misfortunes aren't always lin...

What an odd mix it's been for me, camping across the vernal equinox. My tent was pitched between a mound of lingering snow and the muddy morass of thawing ground. The days with stormy windblown clouds brought bursts of sunshine amid spaces of misty chill, prompting frequent adjustments of clothing layers. Long walks and hours of firelight made room for thoughts to mingle. The world in turmoil, man made and natural, I wondered for our future. With lungs full of fresh crisp air and eyes full of Spring's green joys, I felt that familiar harmony, but still my mind returned to darker signs. Since checking on personal friends and family in Japan, I've learned of others, extended connections, who are displaced and missing. It all serves to remind me that this larger disaster is full of smaller stories, each of them life-changing to those involved. And this is only one outburst of a Mother at the end of her rope. This is only one symptom that things are not entirely righ...

I dream of dogs. Often. Their presence in my dreams is a reflection of their presence in my life. They've been with me since the start, as regular a part of my family as a sister, a mother, a grandmother. In fact, because my father's truck driving job frequently took him away from home for days or weeks at a time, I've actually logged more days with a dog at my side than a dad. To put it in their way of seeing things, dogs are part of my pack, and my world feels unbalanced without them. I know this bond has been a natural habit for humankind since cavemen first took wolf pups into their den. We are both social animals. On that primal level, we think alike. We share our lives. We work together. We comfort each other. We are family. Many have weighed in on the subject of this ancient association. Here in modern times when the connection results in a pet relationship more often than a working relationship, the opinions often fall in the extremes. On one side, t...

I had just prepared a post, intending to add it to the blog yesterday, when I got news of the earthquake in Japan. Pictures of the devastation in the Tokyo area flashed across the news reports as tales of damage, death and crisis filled the airwaves. It seemed the whole world was shaken by this massive earthquake and its aftermath. Naturally, my first concern was for friends in Japan. I remain connected to my host family from my time as an exchange student, and there are others I have come to know over the years as well. Luckily, though phones were inoperative in many areas, e-mail communication was still possible though tricky with power outages affecting many. Responses to my messages were quick but seemed to take forever. Thankfully, my friends were safe, waiting out the aftershocks for their opportunity to reset lives reduced to chaos. I only hope the rest of the country can do likewise. Though my thoughts are far away, I will continue with the post as planned.