Opening up my world

Janine came over this morning and opened up my world a little.

She played with my cat forever. (I was tempted to look at my watch.) We supposedly get together to read a book once a week, but we haven't done that in ages; we just talk. Just talking is not normally on my agenda.

I showed her an article in a pet magazine that I was going to use to say disparaging things about animal rights people, and she found the article charming. It launched her into little spontaneous meditations on God's creation and the antics of her dog Cooper.

My time with Janine reminded me of the times I had with my old friend Lynn, who passed away in 2003. Lynn used to stop at every flower and pine cone and hold it and examine it seriously from every angle, and ooh and ahh. She showed me (without being heavy-handed about it) that flowers are not just useless plants you can't eat.

I don't think Janine and Lynn consciously appointed themselves to be my deprogrammers, but I can tell that if I hang around Janine more, there is a chance I will undo some acculturation and recover childhood wonder. I am starting to entertain the funny idea that efficiency isn't the only measure of a well-spent day.

As she was leaving the house, Janine pressed her nose up close to the light green bud-thingies that grow on the evergreen shrub near my steps. She looked delighted and said, "Wow, look at that! They look like little jesters with those funny floppy pointed hats!"

I have lived in this house for 25 years but never noticed the little green buds. "How about that, you're right," I said, taking a look at my surroundings for the first time.

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