Today I had the pleasure of spending time on a school playground (covered - how nice on a hot summer's day!) with three friends and four little ones. As I observed the children (ages: five, three, two and barely two) climbing, falling, laughing, sliding and busily living life, I could clearly "see" traces of their parents in them - physical traits, personality traits and distinct behaviors. How I wish I could rewind and watch my children playing at a very young age. Would I see snippets of myself and Bo? Did I miss that when they were small? Can my friends see the wondrous miracle of their mannerisms reflected in their children? I left the playground with a smile in my heart...There is something quite special about easy conversation among friends surrounded by the joy of young children investing all of their energy, focus, and physical strength in pure play. Life is good.

Thinking about courage

July 4th...It always leaves me with an intense feeling of patriotic pride in being an American. Jeff, a major in the Marines, arrived in Afghanistan a few days before this year's holiday. He took over command of a group of men that in his words “are engaged in a very complex, dynamic fight.” Jeff, the brother of our son-in-law, is part of our family now, so we think of him many times daily when he is in harm's way...thankful for his commitment...thankful for God’s protection over him...thankful for the wisdom that guides him... You would like Jeff. He is a kind-hearted, determined man of fierce courage. I love talking with him and hearing of the things he has seen through his travels in the military. He just finished serving as the Aide to the Commandant of the Navy, so he has been around the globe a few times. His heart is with the common people worldwide. My favorite thing about Jeff is how he brings each person he speaks with in America to an awareness of the blessings we have every single day...food, clothing, shelter, no fear of terrorists storming into our homes, knowledge that our sky and land are guarded...things we take for granted... yet we only rest at night in peace because of Jeff, Justin, Shannon...men and women courageously sacrificing their safety and time with their families to keep us all a bit safer from the terrors that abound...July 4th...What a great day to celebrate the joy of being an American...Please keep Jeff and our military around the world in your thoughts...

Last night, while walking through the Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas, my husband and I came across the Longhorns. They are majestically beautiful... I know that it may sound strange to read the word beautiful as the descriptive term for bovines, but it is the way I think about Longhorns. One was particularly stand-out-in-the-corral statuesque... His leather coat was a deep amber with dark and light chocolate swirls and spots of perfect design... But it was the guardian of the Longhorns that really caught our attention. Snuggled down on the wide top rail of the Longhorn's fence, exhibiting total relaxation, was a small feline...creamy white with patches of light and dark gray...Her bright green eyes obviously surveyed and measured us as we approached the fence. She must have determined that we were not a threat, because she continued her quiet occupation of rest and surveyance while we visited the large beasts. Two rather nondescript cats meowed greetings and meandered our way, begging for scratches behind their ears, as we observed the majestic bull click his long horns against any other bull brave enough to enter his territory. We enjoyed our accidental encounter with the majestic rodeo stars of the Stockyards immensely, but it was the Queen of the Longhorns that we glanced back to see as we were leaving the Stockyards. Her green eyes were, of course, targeted on us, her tail gently sweeping the air in quiet command. Curiosity must ask, "What was she thinking?"

Curiosity does make life more interesting. Curiosity observes, analyzes, considers, reflects, observes...in a never-ending process...which removes the possibility of spending time in bromidic uselessness...at least theoretically... So...I am the curious type.... especially regarding the interworkings of the human mind regarding learning, memory and access to wisdom.