I am on my second cup of coffee and still awaiting the appearance of my muse. She is running late today, sleeping in I suppose, to hide from the cold and the wind. After five months of snow, wind, and frigid temperatures, we have both grown weary and long for some green, even knowing that the Wyoming spring is still nearly two months away.
My kitten has more energy than he knows what to do with. Having munched the tops of the tulips I am forcing indoors and knocked things off of shelves, he has grown bored of his toys and of watching the birds and squirrels through the windows. The mice videos on YouTube have also ceased to hold his attention, so at long last he settles down for another nap. I cannot help wondering if the young bears, that have been hibernating with their mothers, are also growing claustrophobic and testing the mothers’ patience while being confined in their dens. I watch the birds quarreling at my bird feeders. Everywhere I look it seems there is anger and hostility. My work at the motel brings in frustrated guests because they are tired of driving and the highway closes when the wind gusts and blowing snow make for treacherous travel. Pain bodies, which are egos that have suppressed trauma, emerge to cause mischief.
My muse is here at last and this is what she is saying to me: Whether it is the rude cashier at the supermarket, a cranky toddler, a misunderstanding with a partner, a corporate entity that evades blame, or a country that wants to dominate, we are all challenged each and every day to practice love and compassion. We are given numerous opportunities to remain steadfast in our resolve to be the peace that our world so desperately needs. We must forgive ourselves and others for any slights that we perceive and remember that each moment is a new moment to change a frown into a smile.
