Refreshed

Time stretched before me. 

No dinners to prepare, only 

dishes in the sink, most filling 

the dishwasher. Details of my 

life lay scattered about like 

dry leaves in the fall. A vague 

feeling niggled that someone 

should restore order, but maybe 

not right this minute. Or even 

the next. So putting on winter 

boots, my jacket, and back pack, 

I went for a walk. The streets 

were rutted with brown mushed 

up snow, pads of ice hiding beneath. 

Sidewalks were cleared. Not down 

to the cement, but shovelled and 

padded flat by many feet. Little 

brown birds ~ maybe juncos, maybe 

sparrows, maybe both ~ chitttered and 

chattered into the cool winter air. 

Refreshed and home, I lazily 

put some of my home in order. 

An aura of calm settled, brightened

by soft lights and colours of Christmas.

“Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.”

~ Paul Theroux