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A ship must keep sailing rather than return to port defeated
Published 11:18am Friday, August 31, 2012“Can you see the holiness in those things you take for granted– a paved road or a washing machine? If you concentrate on finding what is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.”
~ Harold Kushner
Last Saturday’s soft dawn brought tendrils of mist drifting over trees, then sunshine breaking through. Gathering a water bottle and notebook, I headed off on an adventure to Walnut Creek Preserve, up past Lake Adger near Sunnyview. PAC (Pacolet Area Conservancy) had Dr. Zack Murrell as speaker about plants, genes and memes: which sounded interesting for a Saturday morning. A pleasant meandering drive, mountains rising up all around: I passed Morning Glory Farm, peaceful cows grazing, rusting farm equipment, rustic spots, blue skies stretching peacefully over green hills.
Picking up the water bottle as I cruised along Highway 9, I tried to get the latched top open to no avail, so held it tight between my legs so I could wrestle the recalcitrant lid off. Cold water splashed everywhere—pants soaked, in the most embarrassing areas. My first thought was “Oh no! I can’t go to a talk like this. They’ll think I forgot my Depends.” However, the inner brave spirit arose, and rather than turning tail, I kept on driving with soggy pants and all. The practical down-to-earth side of me figured who’d even care, and maybe the incriminating wetness would be dry soon. (Of course, it took forever.) Chin high, I tried not to look embarrassed and guilty as I walked into the lecture room. Sometimes a ship must keep sailing rather than returning to port defeated!
