A SHOOTING STAR

AT 8:30P.M. ON DECEMBER 21, 2005, I SAW A METEOR. AS I GAZED UPWARD INTO THE STAR-FILLED BLACKNESS, IN A FORTUITOUS INSTANT, A DISINTEGRATING COMET PLUNGED IN A WHITE BLAZE OUT OF SIGHT BEHIND MY ROOFTOP. WOULD IT SIGNAL GOOD LUCK? THE NEXT DAY NEAR NOONTIME, THE 1ST SEED AND GARDEN CATALOG OF THE SEASON AND AN ANTICIPATED CHRISTMAS PRESENT ARRIVED IN THE MAIL. I RECEIVED A CHRISTMAS PHONE CALL FROM A DAUGHTER OVERSEES. I STIR-FRIED A WARM SPINACH SALAD. THESE FOUR UNRELATED EVENTS, HOWEVER, COULD NOT INDIVIDUALLY OR SEPARATELY, DELIVER ENOUGH SIGNIFICANCE TO CONNECT THEM TO MY SPECIAL SECONDS CATCHING A SHOOTING STAR.

BUT SOMETHING DOES, SOME THING UNIQUE TO ME WARRANTS A MOMENT OF BRIGHT REFLECTION - MY COUNTRIFICATION. MY CAPPED HEAD FOR AN EVENING WALK, MY HOME, MY PIECE OF SKY AND MY PERSONAL LIBERTY ARE LOCATED IN RURAL AMERICA. IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO RUB SHOULDERS WITH OPEN ROADS. THE COUNTER CULTURE OF URBAN LIVING CAN BE A HASSLE. FOR EXAMPLE, TRANSIT STRIKES, METRO TRAIN DISPUTES, PROTEST RALLIES AND PROLIFIC LITIGATIONS. CONGESTED HIGHWAYS, RAMPANT CRIME, HIGHER TAXES AND UNDER-PERFORMING SCHOOLS DRAIN THE BIG CITIES OF OPTIMISM. THE ADVANTAGES OF URBAN LIVING ARE MANY (EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES BEING ONE), BUT THE DISADVANTAGES ARE NOT FEW. YET MILLIONS OF CITIZENS WITH OR WITHOUT A CHOICE - I HAD ONE AND REJECTED IT - RESIDE IN CROWDED METROPOLITAN AREAS AROUND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. OUR LIFESTYLES AND MINDSETS DIFFER, BUT OUR CONCEPT OF THE 'WONDERFUL LIFE' IS PROBABLY THE SAME. WHO IN A PENTHOUSE OR YARD, ON A BACK PORCH OR PATIO, DRIVING OR WALKING LAST NIGHT, SAW MY COMET TOO?