THE GREAT OUTDOORS

50 DEGREES, BREEZY, SUNNY, A CLEAN, BLUE SKY STREAKED WITH CLOUDS AND AIRPLANE VAPORS - IT WAS A PERFECT FALL DAY TO 'COMMUNE WITH NATURE.' I DID JUST THAT TODAY, BREATHING OUTDOOR AIR, SWEEPING LEAVES, FACING THE 'ELEMENTS' LIKE THOREAU DID SO WELL IN HIS EXCURSIONS AND DESCRIBED SO WELL WITH WORDS. MY BEHAVIOUR , HOWEVER, IS ALIEN TO A FEMALE RENTER OF A SMALL RESIDENCE AT THE END OF MY LANE WHO LIVED WITHIN MY VIEW AND WHOM I OBSERVED FOR THE PAST YEAR. 365 DAYS, NIGHTS, MOONS, SUNS, WINDS AND SKIES FILLED WITH STARS. 365 QUOTIDIANS FEATURING COLD, COOLNESS, HEAT, HUMIDITY, FLOODING, SHOWERS, SNOW, SNOWSTORMS, HAIL AND ICE. 365 CHANCES AND SHE MISSED THEM ALL. SHE PUT IN NOT ONE BRIEF MINUTE OF COMMISERATION WITH REFRESHING AIR, A BIRD'S SONG, WAVING LEAVES, WINKING SUN LIGHT OR THE GLOW OF A MOON. SHE PASSED VIRTUALLY EACH AND EVERY 24 HOURS , EACH AND EVERY SUCCESSION OF 1440 MINUTES INDOORS. HERS WAS A PATTERN OF WALKING FROM EXIT DOOR TO CAR, FROM CAR TO ENTRY DOOR. OCCASIONALLY (BUT ONLY IN THE SUMMER ) SHE EMERGED FROM HER HOUSE TO PUFF ON A CIGARETTE FOR A BRIEF RESPITE IN THE SHADE OF AN ENTRANCE WAY. WHO COULD HAVE RAISED THIS YOUNG, UNMARRIED, PREGNANT SMOKER TO BE SO OBLIVIOUS TO A WAITING WORLD? HOW COULD SHE SURVIVE WITH SUCH DEPRIVATION? SHE NEVER TO HERSELF HAS KNOWN "HER OWN ... HER NATIVE LAND?" SHE NEVER WORKED OUTDOORS ON ANY PROJECT, SHE NEVER SUNNED HERSELF OUTDOORS, SHE NEVER WALKED OUTDOORS, SHE NEVER STOOD OUTDOORS BEYOND THAT SHADOWLY WALK-IN WHERE ( I THINK A HALF DOZEN TIMES) SHE TOOK HER 15 MINUTE SMOKE.

I SHOULDN'T CARE. I AM THE LUCKY ONE. MY BENEFACTOR OF NATURE'S OFFERINGS PRACTICES INTELLIGENT DESIGN DURING SPRING, SUMMER, FALL AND WINTER., I UNDERSTAND THE VICISSITUDES OF THE SEASONS, BUT SOMETIMES WHAT NATURE HAS HAD TO OFFER IS UNPLEASANT OR DISAPPOINTING. NEVERTHELESS, I DON'T MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE WHAT'S OFFERED OUTDOORS EACH AND EVERY DAY.