One of the Best Times

I have a gentle and kindly space. There’s not much to it. One room with a galley kitchen and small bathroom. And a porch. And the whole outdoors. The old farmer told me it’s the longest unobstructed view in town from the dwelling to the Concord River, one mile away; stretching over, in spring, wetlands sometimes as deep as a pond.  In winter it’s a field of ice; in summer a meadow where a doe and her two fawns graze and frolic. Late summer, the grasses begin to yellow, become tawny and dry, brittle. Above it all, riding the thermals, the red-tailed hawk surveys its realm. Sunny or gray, in scorching heat or a snow-laden sky, it circles, circles in widening orbits. Patiently, it waits to stoop, to feed. No, not much to it, my space; yet, in fact, it’s everything.

I come here to learn; to wait, to allow time to do what only time can do. Time for my body to settle, my gaze to soften and my spirit open to the massive mother oak beyond the porch.  Wind carries her essence to me, filled with songs of the finches and sparrows that she welcomes to her branches.  A slight breeze blows over her leaves, sending pure oxygen my way. In the distance, the same breeze sweeps over the long grasses like wind on the sea. As I said, not much to it; just everything I crave.

In her book, love anthony, Lisa Genova writes about a boy called Anthony, who has autism. One afternoon, Anthony was out in his backyard for long enough that his mother began to be concerned. When she went out, she found him lying very still on his back in “a square patch of sun”, arms out, palms up, eyes open, staring at the sky. She wondered, “What is he looking at? How long has he been lying there?”  She decided to lie down next to him to find out. “The sky was a perfect blue, not a cloud anywhere.  What could be capturing his attention for so long?”   She began to feel antsy.  “I can’t just lie here, I should be accomplishing something.”  But she stopped herself and decided to lie beside Anthony for as long as he stayed.

Finally, the patch of sun moved on. She looked over at Anthony who had a huge, pleased grin that she swore said, Wasn’t that AWESOME Mom? Didn’t you have the best time looking up at the sky with me?

Then he waved his arms and ran into the house.

Yes, it was, Anthony. It was one of the best times I’ve ever had.