A conversation with a lonely neighbor- I just listen,
The bright and shining faces of our young dogs,
When my wife smiles at my silly worries,
The percussion of fireworks after midnight, the Fourth of July.
Reveries during a crackling campfire,
Signing my name with Dad's fountain pen,
Eating ice cream with my wife; it runs down my chin,
A friend visiting our campsite for bratwurst and a long chat.
Tired muscles and euphoria after running four miles,
Being able to run four miles at age threescore and six,
Families chatting outside after breakfasting at the Uptown Cafe,
My wife banging a spoon on a skillet- a summons to breakfast.
A fiery sun settling over a dusty horizon,
Goosebumps when hearing a symphonic passage for the nth time,
The sound of splashing in the swimming pool that I maintain,
God speaking to me in an unexpected way.
A friend's recovery from a moribund state,
Angels watching over him,
Strawberry ice cream and smoked salmon, best medicine of all,
The gift of another day.
Realizing that a lot of my tragedies are trifles,
Realizing that there is one God and I ain't Him.
