Emily Dickinson

There's a certain slant of light,

On winter afternoons

That oppresses, like the weight

Of cathedral tunes.

But the light pictured above was not winter afternoon light; it was Saturday morning light, what I saw next to my bed when I woke. Outside, it was beautiful and warm. The dog and I went into the woods.

At my recent physical check-up the good doctor said I should walk briskly 30 to 45 minutes every other day. "I guarantee you'll feel better," he said.

I hadn't told him I needed to feel better; I hadn't complained about a thing.

He's right though.

I meandered and got a little lost in the woods. Briskily lost. We'd set off at 730AM and got home just after 9.

There was a note on the table that said to call Rod. I called Rod. He and Abby came over later. We rode around the back roads in Rodney's big-assed Cadillac. It was another one of those perfect days.