Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

We're in for another week of rain.  Luckily, I have plans every day this week, that aren't affected.  Even the walks with friends will go on under umbrellas.  I usually live under sunny skies, though, so I'm spoiled.  Even when we ventured to another state for seven years, it was the third sunniest state in the U.S.  So am I living a big fat metaphor for my aging years?  It's tempting to say so.   We gain wisdom and perspective, but live daily with news of broken hips and diagnoses and trips canceled because of illness.  We're forced to be fluid, and accommodate our complaining bodies.  I generally do one thing a day now.  A day and evening event feels like pushing the envelope, and I need my sleep to function well.  A cup of coffee won't do it.  So we're forced into quiet and introspection, and slowly get comfortable with self examination.  I have the time to watch my mind do it's squirrely thing.  To realize I'm running old, old tapes again and again.  I lift out of observing me and feel free.  It's only that human thing I'm doing, it's not profound or meaningful.  Then, if I can bring some compassion for myself to the table, I can just be aware, moment after moment, that it's a wondrous thing to be alive in this world.  Let's watch the raindrops roll off the leaves of the camillias.