The Cure

A hard week, with death and violence making it almost impossible to sleep. Miserable weather - so hot the air is stifling, and the lack of rain makes the coming year a nightmare of drought and famine. A little credit card fraud causing anxiety and too much travel causing exhaustion.

But over and above and radiating through every difficulty and concern is the fact - the unassailable fact - that Cathleen is here. This daughter of ours! What did we ever do to deserve her?

Today she and I went into town to do the grocery shopping. A stolen hour (I was supposed to be working) for the most mundane of tasks turned into a glorious romp (we even had ice cream cones!). In the store, we met Kamini, an old and dear friend. She was so happy to see Cathleen she hugged her five times in five minutes. I counted.

She is a festival in our lives. She makes us so happy we glow. People keep asking me: what's happened? Did you win a lottery?

I did.