late April

The rain came on just as I finished reading a chapter, so I pulled on a sweater and stood at the back window to watch. The newly lush prairie sage lifted itself with a sigh of pleasure, silver green against the darker green garlic chives and the yellowy leaves of the violets. When I chose my clothes this morning it didn’t occur to me the colors would resonate so closely with the clouds and the plants. Living in the same house for more than a decade has changed me. I thought I would miss the excitement of starting over. I didn’t know the subtle joy that comes with staying still long enough to see the clouds move in and the trees leaf out. The beauty that happens when I quietly continue at something.