Places of Peace

There is no hope for it. I am sitting quite satisfied with myself in a comfortable chair in my warm house. There will be an occupant in my small bedroom – at other times the computer room. The occupant is at present viewing the movie AVATAR which I am most anxious to see as well. If you haven’t paid attention that movie is made with an unusual animation which I do not completely understand except that the few scenes I have seen and the information about how the movie was made appears to be otherworldly. Beyond the world of Spocks pointy ears. I can’t wait to see/hear the characters speak. Will it be in English? Martian? Or simply mime? Or sign language. I shall see.
The skies are cloudy and wringing out the rain drops. I did my regular Monday hours at the McNary National Wildlife Refuge Education Center encouraging my visitors to count bird species. But now I am tucked in my comfortable space and I am looking forward to a December 25 over coffee with a dozen wonderful people who always are a pleasure to be with. I wouldn’t mind if the rain keeps falling on a regular basis. Tomorrow I will celebrate the shortest day of the year knowing each following day will get longer again. The ancients celebrated for what it is - the turning point of the earth's orbit that would bring longer days (at least here in the northern hemisphere). I celebrated the longest day – no sundown at all – within the Arctic circle some years ago with bonfires of all things. A city ordinance prohibits such things in our backyards, so I won’t celebrate with an outdoor fire but celebrate I will. Right here in my warm comfortable space. Eating and drinking. Wow.
Naomi Sherer