It's been such a lovely day despite the frowning sky, the grumbles of thunder.

*****

As I drove to Morton Memorial this morning, I noted with pleasure (finally) the change of season that's crept up the mountain. A few weeks ago I had trepidation about this segue of color. I wanted to hold on tight to summer.

This morning I realized it would take a miracle to halt the seasons, and even I know that kind of miracle isn't likely to happen. What would be the point, anyway? I need to save my miracle wishes for important things.

*****

We have to be careful with our miracle wishes. For example, asking for my IPF to miraculously vanish and to have me wake up one morning and have healthy oxygen pumping lungs... well, it's not that I'm a cynic, but I just don't think that miracle will happen. It won't happen anymore than wishing an incoming tide to stop before it smashes a sandcastle. It's like asking the fall foliage to become green again. It just isn't going to happen.

But maybe miracles do happen. In their own time.

In time, tender shoots of green will return to the trees. In time, maybe my miracle will come with a set of new lungs.

Sorry, the sandcastle is on its own.

Yup. This morning I thought about miracles. They must be considered carefully.


*****


I didn't stay at church for brunch. I pace myself carefully these days. I had some Thanksgiving shopping I wanted to do - at Dollar General. (My norms have changed so dramatically since moving here.) I'm planning all sorts of seasonal games for the family and wanted to stock up on prizes. (Nothing says Thanksgiving at Grandma's more than a camo baseball cap or a plastic Tennessee-orange backscratcher.)

As is always the case at Dollar General, I struggled with my cart as I exited then transferred my purchases to the car. All of this was fairly easy-peasy stuff... but I get a little tired these days.

Anyway, a man got into his car as I continued to load mine. He backed out of his slot and then stopped. He jumped out of his car and offered to take my cart back to the store - leaving his car smack-dab in the middle of the parking lot. It was very kind and I thanked him profusely.

But here's the deal. It wasn't until he'd backed out of his slot and got an eyeball-full of my rear window, which is a billboard for higher education and the US Army, that he decided to help me. You can never convince me otherwise.

Now lest you think I'm complaining, I'm not in the least. I just found it interesting and oddly pleasing in a patriotic way.


Sidebar: A while back David was vetted by the Army. It's something done regularly with officers, I believe. During an interview, the officer asked, "What's Reenie's Reach?" OMG. So, in the future I'll not be using name & rank together.

Most important, the officer vetting David said I was a good writer. I guess miracles do happen.