Turn Turn

Snaking north toward Denver via Woodland Park, Florissant, Buffalo Creek, and Conifer (so much slower and safer than risking life on I-25) I immerse myself in the landscape: The trees, the terrain, and the beauty parlor scenery of one hairpin curve after another.

Road signs distract me. One sign urges me to “Adopt a Highway Sign.” This is followed by “Adopt a Better Attitude.” The next sign prompts me to “Adopt a more inclusive, cheerful countenance.”

And finally, on this stretch of backwoods advice- not a suggestion but a demand: “Ye must be born again.”

I am probably not the first person to wish I could capitalize on everything I’ve learned over the years. Thinking in terms of generational intelligence, as the wheel cycles, we might profit from what our parents taught us and, what we, in turn, have taught our children.

Or not. Perhaps the mistakes we make are more influenced by the culture, values, and politics of the time. Whatever the factors influencing the cycle, we cycle.

Oops! I meandered. I’m back – marveling at the mountains which are high up close, but higher in the distance. Gauzy Snow-White clouds inchworm their way across a sky that is losing its blue hue.

Now, darkening and gathering strength, the clouds begin to bulk up and show some muscle. Darker at their base, they remind me of a baby’s soggy, wet diaper. Finally, the rain begins – just isolated drops gently pitter-pattering down – a drop here and another there.

Now, the rain has picked up speed, and it is falling in hard, loud splats. It sounds like corn popping in a kettle… or bullets, but I don’t want to go there. The rain is an angry torrent – a regular Reign of Terror.

Now, drivers have slowed to a crawl and turned on their headlights. The road is awash in standing water. On-coming cars drown.us in a power-shower of splash. Our windshield wipers are marching – goose-stepping at high speed: 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2.

Suddenly, as though a higher power has flipped a switch, the rain stops as dramatically as it began. The sun breaks through. The cycle is complete.

Remember this cycle. Today you may be depressed but take heart: the sun will come out tomorrow.

As a postscript, a couple of years have passed since I posted regularly, and the site’s format has changed. Obviously, I want to add pictures. Not today, but hopefully next time.

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