Saturday, March 5, 2016

The birthday continues

After posting my birthday Slice this morning, I took a break from my Lenten FB hiatus to connect with my friends and rejoice in birthday greetings.

But fresh air beckoned.  With the free hotel breakfast giving me fuel, I laced up my walking shoes and drove to a nearby hike-n-bike for a walk in the sunshine.

On the way, I pulled up next to a homeless man at a red light.  For once I had cash on me, so I rolled down my window and handed him a fiver.  He smiled from his amazing, crystal-clear sea-green eyes to his chin, weathered wrinkles forming laugh lines.  

"God bless you," he said.  "God bless you, too!" I replied.  

"It's a good day," he continued.  "Every day, I get out of my tent, and look to the sky, and say 'Thank you, God.  Here we go, one more day you've given me.' And I smile.  It's a blessing."

"Yes, it is a great day," I answered, smiling back.  And then the light turned green.

So I took his testament to heart, and I was sure to look up this morning.  I noticed the shocking blue eyes of the mottled black-and-white dog sticking his head out of the window of a car next to me, sniffing the air in anticipation.  I looked up at the sky as I walked the trail, thankful to the folks who kept it up so well that I didn't have to look down to keep my footing.  I saw another dog, this one brown, his head atilt as he waited for his master to toss a tennis ball in the water. 



There was a couple getting pictures taken as they each sat astride of their motorcycles by the lake.  And a little boy, still flexible enough to bend himself in three planes as he examined a treasure found in the dirt, his dad watching from a bench nearby.



A Star Trek landing party was at the park, too.  Really--one yellowshirt passed me, and then I saw a blueshirt waiting by a picnic table.  Only in Austin, folks.

I had my first bluebonnet sighting of the season; I think it's the first time it's happened in person, and not through the windshield of my car as I sped by.



It's a beautiful spring day!  I was glad for the chance to breathe the fresh air, absorb the sunshine, and most importantly--look up.

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