September 1, 2024

By Arthur H. Gunther III

thecolumnrule.com

“Life is the flash of a firefly in the night,” said Chief Crowfoot of the Siksika Nation in the later 1800s. Life truly is a glimpse, whether it be a red bird suddenly among a congregation of tan starlings; or the first grin on a baby’s face caught by an overworked mom; or the instant but fleeting connection to a person never to be seen again yet forever in memory.

In the political season, this U.S. one in particular, in tough inflationary times, in the seemingly greater confusion of living in a world where basic, decent acts of humanity are challenged, taking a glimpse out the door to the hills beyond, as yet untouched by progress, the imagination can run anywhere. To a calming hike in those woods; to a coffee on a porch beyond, sitting with a friend; to lowered blood pressure when you give yourself a holiday from it all.

Once in a while, it’s nice to open a door and just take a glimpse.

The writer is a retired newspaperman.

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