Spring--When the Swallows Return to the Parking Garage

I was aiming to post only every two weeks because, well, I have nothing to say !! BUT, for two months I have been fretting about the fate of my favorite part of spring in Omaha: when the swallows return to the parking garage. The facilities drones had put up soft mesh "screens" around practically every orifice of the garage to keep out the devil swallows that they say build nests on the pipes and corrode them. I say "get more durable pipes!!"

The joyous news is that the swallows don't need all of the orifices, they only needed the entrance that we walk through (can't close that), and they are building their nests like maniacs. Probably a dozen or so, they are too charming chattering away in their tuxedoes and swooping in and out, in and out. The mesh nets are falling into ruins because repairmen are working on the garage and messing up the nets. All that worrying was for nothing. I just couldn't help it, though. They really are my favorite part of spring.

Me Happy

My friend said to me the other day, “don’t you wish you could be a kid again?” It got me thinking that anyone who feels that way was blessed with a happy childhood. Yes, it was great to be the center of the universe for a time. It stirred up all these feelings of gratitude to my parents for struggling to make us feel safe and loved and free, yet somewhat controlled and responsible and connected at the same time.

Then, even without caffeine, my brain continued on this trend thinking about the blessings that came to me when I met Dave, who allowed me to make all my own choices (sometimes I didn’t even want to) and sat back calmly whether I excelled or loafed. It’s called freedom, and even in this land of the free, too many people are oppressed.

This leads to the love our children give back to us. It is beautiful and overwhelming at the same time. It feels a bit like a circle but it is really more like a coil that circles round yet continues on and on. I think that is the happily ever after part.

Sometimes I feel so naïve when I come up with these moments of awareness and then I think I am a dang moron because everyone else realized this stuff at age 20. And that’s what just keeps my life so interesting. Every moment I’m coming closer to catching up with everyone else.