September!

Hey! Where did the "summer" go? -- Actually I'm still waiting for it, hoping it will arrive and stay for awhile! Well, perhaps it skipped us this year--sure seems so. Oh well! No -- it's not well! It's not good, and it's not okay that summer seems to have bypassed us this year! Today I wore fall colors to commemorate the unofficial start of fall, but it also made me sad to admit that it's time to move on and quit waiting for summer.

On the one hand, I'm sad, I'm disappointed, and I'm weary -- sad, disappointed, and weary because of unmet expectations in our weather and woefully inadequate summertime season. On the other hand, I'm tired, and sad, and heartsick over the way people so carelessly treat each other in this world of the weakened human condition. Where is the sensitivity to other's feelings and needs? Where is the sacrificial kindness toward our "neighbor" and "friend"? Where is the giving beyond ourselves and the extraordinary, unselfish act of denying one's own desires and preferences for the unselfish good of another?

"On the other hand...there is no other hand!" (Where did that phrase come from? Who will be the first to give the right answer?)

Do I sound a little down tonight? It was a rough day at work, after a rough situation last night with a neighbor and friend. Should I have handled it differently than I did? Shouldn't I be more capable of handling the tough stuff more perfectly by now? Could I, should I, would I, if I had it to do over? Will I ever be perfect in all my ways, and always careful with my tongue?

Yes! Someday I will be all done needing to say, "I'm sorry." But, for now, I must keep on trying to do it right.