As I drive over to the community college where I'm currently doing some adjunct teaching, I've been known to belt out a song or two in the privacy of my little car. The songs are usually random, and they tend to be those that bring up good memories. Today I was in my best Kate Smith form with a strong rendition of "God Bless America". I think it came from a combination of hearing it every night of the World Series along with the memories of my dad saying that no one could sing that song like Kate.
While thinking about the words as I was singing somewhat robustly, the particular phrase "land that I love" stuck with me. That part of the song came in conjunction with me crossing a bridge over White River where the photographer in me never fails to take a quick, sweeping look to my left and right, sizing up a picture in my mind. This time of year the trees are in various stages of bareness with a few still hanging on to their leaves for all they're worth. To some, it's a depressing time of year; to me, it's beautiful. It's nature at work; even through the barrenness it's life transforming once again.
It is the land that I love. Truly my own little corner of the world.
My thoughts then went out to friends and relatives that live in different parts of the US. Those from the Southwest tell of its beauty through various descriptions; the same holds true for those from the Northeast, the Northwest, and the South. Although the pictures they create with their words are widely different, the words hold one thing in common--it is the land that they love.
So, for today, I'm going to focus not on the gibberish of people who talk for a living, who campaign for a living, or make rules upon rules for a living. Today I'm going to focus on my immediate surroundings. On my drive back, I'll turn off the noise on the radio and tune in to the trees, the harvested fields, and the various sites that make this my home--the land that I love.
And, more than likely, I'll sing again.
Have a fine day.
No comments:
Post a Comment