Ants dance on the petals of peonies and robins find my feet fascinating objects when I walk by. Coyotes hover on the periphery observant but shy enough for pleasant company. Altogether, nature turns my day into a charming event after I’ve spent the morning mulling over the downside of reading the news. No wonder city apartments brim with the vitality of dogs, cats, and flowers. Nature evokes a primal memory softening the edges of a hard day.
News articles tell girls and women to avoid walking alone in the city parks, open trails, and preserves designed to lift the spirit of hard-working women and teach young girls the love of nature. My best reveries occur when walking along a river path where the silence allows my dreams to soar. Mostly though, it allows me a chance to stay present and enjoy the sounds of nature and a gentle wind that calms my nerves from too much unnatural stimulation.
The article lists an astronomical number of female deaths happening at gun point, along with rapes, assaults, and a generalized fright from a penis in full display for no apparent reason. Lately, I notice a woman’s world has become a smaller place to live making it necessary to create indoor gardens, curtail our interactions with uneasy men, and appreciate the nice ones who can see our point of view. The ones who will offer a sympathetic ear and promise to call their congressperson to do something about the homegrown violence aimed at women in need of peace and quiet while they raise their babies and create a satisfying work life. Is it too much to ask?