Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Seeing Into the Future?

I wish that I were in the woods today sitting on the damp ground with my Alphasmart, but I'm at work, just me and the computer and one lone customer so far. Fall is one of the slowest times in the dive business; lucky I have my knitting along.

September 23--Greek, Aphrodite, or Venus de Milo. She had been beautiful when she was young. Not beautiful in the Hollywood way, but fit and strong with regular features and a positive outlook. She sat now in the flood of sunshine pouring through the window at the end of the hall. She was old and creaky, trapped in a body that just started giving up on her about twenty years ago. Up until she turned sixty she felt good, or at least good for her age. She walked along the River Trail the county developed on an old railroad bed nearly every day. When the weather was bad she did yoga or took a fitness class of some sort to help pass the winter. When her husband died suddenly one winter day she kind of gave up. It didn't feel as good to sweat and make her muscles work. It wasn't worth it anymore to push through the achy knees to keep walking. There was no one to plan nutritious meals with, no one to tease about putting too much celery in the food, that she just quit taking care of herself. Now she sat with either knitting or a book held on her lap, looking out the window and not caring what she saw.

Oh, my. I'll have to pay attention.
--Barbara

No comments: