chewa

I realise that other more important issues are preying on all our minds but perhaps one of the lessons from September 11 is that we should all appreciate the simple things more.

This morning it I set off in mist, had a beautiful ride in (I was a bit hungover as I'd been helping to celebrate our neighbours 25th wedding anniversary, but I managed not to be ill this morning) and on the way saw two squirrels and a beautiful urban fox. As I cycled along Princes Street with the sun rising in a now clear blue sky a lovely blonde wearing a knee length skirt split to mid thigh (another type of urban fox), winked at me!

I got in to work and found that the difficult meeting I thought I had today is actually tomorrow. This might be a good day.

It got me thinking. As some of our American cousins have realised we sometimes don't see what's important in life (family, nature, health) because we are caught up in the minutiae .

I left my beautiful wife at home and before I left was "cuddled" by our Hungarian Viszla pup. God willing, I know I'll see them both tonight. I'm lucky and it's sad that it's taken something like the terrorist attack on WTC to make me see that.

HardBall

I also had a beautiful ride Sunday morning. Had to get away from all the media coverage and never-ending conversations. I was within seeing distance of the Pentagon on a Potomac River path. The day breaking with the sun shining horizontally through the mist from the river was breath taking in places. I shed more than a few tears that morning seeing the Pentagon and thinking about the victims and their families. It was almost surreal seeing the natural beauty as a backdrop to the destruction of the Pentagon. Working and living in this area I was both glad to be alive and sad that so many other families were never going to experience the beauty in the same way again. Needless to say the ride didn't leave me with the rejuvenated feeling I usually have but it did give me pause to reflect on the simpler things.