I Woke Up in a Fog

In our wonderful third floor bedroom, the view is usually spectacular at 7am- the sun is just lighting the tallest of the trees on the facing hill and then it shines all the way down the valley.  Today I opened by eyes and saw nothing.  We were completely fogged in.

This was a test for me on our last day in Ansouis.  Could I visualize the sunny morning view?  Could I remember the first time seeing that hill at 7am, when except for the pines, the trees were still bare, waiting for the weather to warm up.  Could I remember it from two days ago?  The trees are nearly fully leafed out, the cherry blossoms have all fallen.  The valley floor has become a lush green after being plowed and planted into straight rows.  When the wind was so high yesterday, we could see the it ride across the green fields- that is how much they have grown since we came here five weeks ago.

It reminds me of a quote from William Edward Hartpole Lecky I found recently:  "There are times in the lives of most of us when we would have given all the world to be as we were but yesterday, though that yesterday had passed over us unappreciated and unenjoyed."  I hope that I will always appreciate and enjoy tomorrow's yesterday.

I also like the idea that I, in some silly way, am like the facing hills and valleys this spring.  I arrived still a little weary from the winter and the rat race, and as we adjusted to the rhythm of life here, I grew a bit, struggled a bit, grew some more, took nourishment from the sun and rain, and history, and friendship and love that surround me here.  And while I would love to stay longer and experience the next season here, I am also anxious to move on, to take the next step in the journey.  To develop the bud that will become the blossom.

Alors, au revoir Ansouis.  Merci et a bientot, j'espere!

Blue skies!