THREE IN ONE

It's summer. My mind travels only short distances -- small thoughts ambling across my brain and onto the page. In the past weeks, I have had three, unrelated and un-profound ponderings which I here share.

ICE CREAM 
Recently, I was combating a miserable cold with every form of over-the-counter remedy I could find and still felt absolutely miserable. Desperate, I opened the freezer door to discover a carton of Ben and Jerry’s chocolate fudge ice cream. One dose and I felt better than I had felt for days. Highly recommended. 

RASPBERRIES 
I have an unruly tangle of raspberry bushes in my back yard. Now seems to be their prime. Every harvest reminds me of the lessons inherent to picking raspberries. They are an extremely delicate fruit. To pick them, you very gently pull on each berry. If they are not ready, they will not come. If they are over-ripe, they will disintegrate. They will slide into your fingers only if they are perfect. Ripeness is all. 

RUSH HOUR 
Driving north out of Denver, there’s a point at which three lanes of traffic converge with four main streams of cars. At rush hour, entering this procession can seem suicidal, yet hundreds of cars do so, every day. Two thoughts occur, almost simultaneously: first, there are far too many people in the world and second, perhaps if we can routinely survive rush hour, there is hope for our civilization after all.

CIRCLES SQUARED

I have long believed in the power of circles. Initially, I savored the power of circles of people. Traveling, I discovered the power within circles of megaliths. Later, I created a meditation circle in my own back yard. 

Earlier this summer, I felt drawn to visit Arches National Park. For the beauty of course, but for another, unidentified, reason. A window of opportunity opened and I went. What a spectacular place!

I wandered amid geological splendor. Awed. On one particular day, I hiked back to two specific arches. The first, Tunnel Arch, infused me with its symmetrical beauty. 

The second, Pine Tree Arch, turned out to be the reason for my visit. It was possible to sit under its symmetry, to absorb whatever it had to offer. As I did, I realized that the arch energy not only soared overhead but also swooped underneath, creating . . . a circle of power akin to and different than the other circles I had known.

Struggling with a personal dilemma, I found the strength I needed for a difficult decision. And comfort from a millennial compilation of minerals. 

 It was the power of the circle, squared.