The Colors of Hope

“Milk and honey ’til we get our fill, I’ll keep chasing it, I always will. Sooner or later, I swear we’ll make it there. Sooner than later, sooner or later.” ~ Mat Kearney

It was the season of no flowers. The earth had drunk no rain during that sweet summer, and what normally would have been a magnificent garden of beautiful blooms was thirsty, faded foliage. There were no azaleas to be seen. Instead, a gorgeously green, weeping willow tree set the scene for a momentous photo shoot.

There they were on that day of black and white happiness: just kids, seeing the world through those green, untested eyes. They smiled and jumped high into the air, returning to earth about a half second later. That snapshot, captured between jump and land, represented the dreams that were taking flight in their minds. Like Gatsby seeing the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, those kids were reaching for hope…

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The Wound, the Wind, and the Wizard

“All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow.” ~ Leo Tolstoy

I find myself drawn to both light and darkness, and by this dichotomy I am often perplexed. I guess it explains my fascination with the idea of shadows. And the moon. In cryptic prose, I often reflect on the topic of pain. Maybe if I finally chronicle this story, I’ll be able to let the pain of the past go…

The wizard ~ I was peering through the lens of apprehension as my eye appointment neared the shore of reality. Perhaps I was less than optimistic because instead of one, it had been two years since my last visit. But eight tests, four cornea specialists, and two hours later, everything appears to be fine. My eyes are “quiet” as the wizard says. Unbeknownst to him, that’s how I refer to my eye doctor. A world-renowned surgeon. A miracle worker. A man who once told me in his dry sense of humor, “I don’t have a crystal ball,” when he couldn’t conjure up a vision of my future eye health for my peace of mind…

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