snow peas

There's something incredibly beautiful in the first shoots of something planted by one's own hands breaking the crust of the earth. I was overanxious to start a garden this spring, and we planted seeds about three weeks ago. I worried over them as snow fell several times and nothing but weeds surfaced. However, three or four days ago, the snow peas started pushing up through the ground, parting the moist soil with the strength of a nascent seedling.

And so it is, the circle of life. The winter has been very cold and snowy this year, and it has taken a long time to get rid of the snow. There is still a chill in the ground, as well as in my heart; but there is a small seedling. It is spring.

from ear to ear

Eskimos are reputed to have hundreds of words for snow. I propose we generate as many words for smiles. I can only think of grin and smirk, and the thesaurus entry was weak, indeed. Here are ten of the smiles that I think need new names:

1. The uncontrollable smile that breaks across your face like a winter dawn when the man you love does something extra sweet.

2. The, "I see you every day but don't have anything to say to you, so I just smile," smile.

3. The smile (perhaps coupled with a perfunctory snort or chuckle) when something someone said is not that funny, but you feel the urge to be kind regardless.

4. The ear-to-ear enthusiastic grin when greeting an old friend.

5. The good-bye smile.

6. The smile of genuine surprise.

7. The smile of embarrassment, "No, I think it's funny that I fell on my butt spilling coffee all over myself, really I do!"

8. The flirty smile, "Come hither."

9. The smile of relief. "He's going to be okay?"

10. And one of my favorites, the chuckle/smile to yourself when you're reading something funny alone.


Any I have forgotten?

EDIT -- 4/29/08 Over dinner last night, Michelle came up with: The smile that babies make when they're gassy. Bob came up with: The smile Maggie makes right before she vomits.

Tiping the scales

Miracles do happen I suppose. I wrote this the day before Jocie passed away.

Cassandra Anne said...

I once believed this way, that life was a serious of unfortunate events waiting to climax; each high a new apex to plunge into the depths of despair from. I no longer believe this.

Life is about perspective. Sure, there's AIDS, and disagreements, and dead deer on the highway; but life is full of so much beauty as well.

If life is tucked full of sadness, it's also sparkled with specs of ecstacy (not the drug) to equilibrate, or even (as I believe) to tip the scales over from tragedy to comedy.

A cloud shaped like your professor, a ridiculous email, the fact that the machine I'm running right now is harmonizing perfectly with the fridge across the room; I think if you took an unbiased look around you, you'd find there's more to smile than frown about.

March 21, 2008 11:55 AM

I might not have said this a week or two ago, but I think I'm going to be okay. I think we're all going to be okay, as time passes.

But do me a favor, call your sister. Call her today and tell her that you love her. Do it for those of us that cannot.