candles in the rain

It’s Ann’s birthday. I have presents. Shopping for presents is pretty great.

The folk singer Melanie had a line in one of her songs, “Why can’t it be Christmas the whole year through?” For me, giving it all over to what will make someone else happy is just that invitation. I remember, and it was either with money from cutting lawns or shoveling snow out of people’s driveways and walks, walking down to the 5 & 10 on Main Street, allowing myself to just be completely there (so, like, six decades before a Zen practice), and buying my mother one or two glasses for the kitchen – smaller, larger, various shapes, maybe spending 50 or 75 cents, for Christmas.

I believe it was just yesterday I was talking here about time folding over on itself, non-linear, allowing a stepping through and through, well, time. Ann’s parents – Rita and Ned – thoughtfully inviting her into the world and its day this day some number of years ago, giving me the chance to remember how great it felt buying a 25 cent glass as a Christmas present. And presents for Ann.

Which, Wareham in the ’50’s and ’60’s, is exactly this Thursday San Diego morning too.