The Light and the Night

Wild turkeys visited here early this morning. They walked boldly down the street. Of course there was no traffic.

Apparently the turkeys did not get the memo about sheltering in place. Hopefully none of the creatures we share this planet with will be harmed by this virus that I contend, we humans have caused to bloom by our own actions, much like the "red tides" that strike the Gulf of Mexico periodically.

I've walked along the Gulf's beaches during a red tide. Normally I would stay close to the water and hunt for seashells. But so many fish bones line the water's edge during a red tide, you cannot walk there unless you wear heavy boots to crush the bones as they whiten in the sun.

Who wants to wear boots at the beach? It's more fun to be barefoot.

***

One of favorite movies from long ago is "In the Heat of the Night" with Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. It's the story of an unlikely alliance between a small-town Southern sheriff, who is white, and a big-city Northern homicide inspector, who is black.

Together they solve a murder.

The great Ray Charles sang the title song of the same name. Here are some of those lyrics:

In the heat of the night
Seems like a cold sweat
Creeping cross my brow, oh yes
In the heat of the night
I'm a-feelin' motherless somehow
Stars with evil eyes stare from the sky 
(In the heat of the night)
Ain't a woman here before
Knows how to make the morning come
So hard to control...

There is more but I encourage you to watch the movie and hear the rest of that song.

***

Many of us may be having trouble sleeping these nights. When will this Corona-V nightmare end? When can we meet again, closer than six feet again, and hug one another?

Struggling to make sense of all this, I try to tell my grandchildren stories that they might find useful. When you are alone with yourself, it is an opportunity to get to know yourself better. Many of us have mixed feelings about who we are. It is tempting to resolve some of these contradictory feeings through connecting with other people.

That can feel like love, and maybe it is, but I'm not one to pretend to be an expert about that subject.

About the nature of night I may know more. If you are awake and alone it may feel like it will never end, but in truth it always does. If you can train your brain to do so, dream about the day. Dream about the light, the warmth of the sun, the softness of falling rain and the bright petals of flowers blossoming all around you.

This is a beautiful planet. Having traveled virtually all over it -- except Africa  :(  -- I can attest to its beauty.

***

Since I have been posting these Corona-V musings, my Facebook feed has exploded. I cannot keep up with the new friend requests. I do not wish to "chat" with anyone. I deeply appreciate that the writing resonates with certain people and I will continue doing it as I am able. Rather than asking me to chat please add your comments to the bottom of the posts.

Thank you!