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September
6, 2004
Dear Family and Friends:
There is something comforting and wonderful sitting out on the porch
late at
night at the end of summer. There is no moon out tonight as it has been
raining and as I look down the street the puddles glisten in the lights
of the
streetlamps. My neighborhood is dark, except for my neighbor across
the street, he
still has one light on...but everyone else must be sleeping. I have
no music
tonight except the sound of the late summer crickets and the katydids.
I love sitting out
on my porch. I would give you a measurement, but I am not
good at that kind of guessing. But I have three pieces of wicker (a
loveseat, a chair and a rocking chair) a small table for my lamp and
my candle, a
small cupboard full of shells from Philip's ocean and my frequent visits,
a small
bookshelf with my radio and books. There is still room for walking around
and
could put several more chairs out here if I wanted to. There are windows
on
all three sides with screens. They are old-fashioned windows, some of
the
glass has imperfections of bubbles or distortions. I like those kind
of windows.
I like sitting out here reading
or writing as my neighbors stroll by. A
couple behind me stopped by one night this week and welcomed me home.
They said
they had missed me sitting out here with my lights and candles late
at night
when they take their walks. It is neighborly to sit outside.
This week I accidentally
came across an article by Ray Bradbury (one of my
favorite authors) The Small Town Plaza: What Life Is All About.
The article is
short, but it is wonderful. The premise is that we have forgotten how
to
gather and stare. He says we forgot, not because we wanted to, but we
were
pushed off the familiar sidewalks and were banned from the old places.
I love the gathering and
staring idea. I like to do both. How did we turn
from these two pastimes? He says TV and cars. How nice it is to go somewhere
to gather and stare. I think our deepest conversations come from these
times.
I know of lots of places I like to gather and stare. I spent part of
the
week end with my sister, Jessie, and we spent lots of time on their
open porch
doing exactly that. Mom and Dad have a wonderful sunroom that over looks
the
golf course that is for gathering and staring. I spent most of my summer
with
Philip doing just that also whether it was on the pizer of the old house...or
the bench at the community store..or Sunday nights with friends at the
Jolly
Roger.
If you have a great place
for gathering and staring, please drop me a note
and describe it to me!
Family notes are extensive
this week. Uncle Dean writes that there was a
little damage to his home in West Palm Beach...some large trees uprooted,
the
dock damaged..but everyone safe as they are still in New York. Kristin
will be
traveling to Uganda at the end of this week to work with a medical team.
It
will certainly be an experience for her. Jo and Bruce leave for New
York and
then a cruise up through Nova Scotia. She is hoping for fall colors,
I think
she will get her wish as we are even seeing spots of color here in Northern
Indiana. Adam travels from Florida back up here for him annual fall
pilgrimage.
As for me, it is another
week at school...back to school night, enjoying the
last bit of summer by walking in my neighborhood and sitting out on
my porch.
I'll end with a small quote
from Ray Bradbury on his "back to community"
design: "We have been yelling for years against the Orwelian world
of 1984, and
at the same time been busy building such a world and walling ourselves
in. Now
we must remember that drama and theatre are not special and separate
and
private things in our lives. They are the true stuffs of living, our
heart and
soul. The hour grows late. We must give ourselves back to ourselves.
For what
finer gift is there in all the world?"
So, here's wishing you time
for gathering and staring this week with family
and friends, Love, Lou Ann
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