WAITING FOR A MIRACLE

POST # 79


While riding my bike yesterday on my way to my current housesit, I went past a car with a bumper sticker which read,"Whatever can go right, will go right. EXPECT A MIRACLE."

So that's all it takes then is it? Just expect a miracle and everything will be right with the world. Sounds pretty easy really. I suppose all we need to do now is get the word out to all the scientists who are giving us accurate data regarding the climate and tell them that hey, forget about all the graphs and measurements, forget about all the carbon and methane in the atmosphere, forget about the fact that the Arctic ice sheet may be totally gone by as early as this September and forget about the sixteen self reinforcing feedback loops that are now taking place, and throw all that out and just order up a miracle or two or three. Problem solved. We can all go back to business as usual and let the magic of a miracle save the day.

Well, I don't buy the miracle thing, but I imagine that there are plenty of folks who do because it seems to be an easy answer to a predicament that gets worse with each passing day. Life goes on.

Arriving at my housesit, I was greeted by my two little canine buddies, Jackson and Peach. As far as I know, they aren't subjected to miracles of any shape or form, although my arrival may have seemed like a miracle to them. The time interval between the departure of the owners, and the arrival of the house sitter is their form of limbo. "Who's going to feed us, if no one shows up?" They always appear happy to see me when I arrive.

After settling in and spending time with the baby boneheads, I headed out for a bike ride. One of the things that I notice more frequently now, is the amount of trees that are turning brown, even though autumn is a long way off. In the past month or so, I have been from California to Canada, and this business with the trees is everywhere one cares to look. It's just another indication that things are changing. All one has to do is take the time to observe, and the signs are all around.

I'll be here for the next month, and I look forward to the time spent with Jackson and Peach. Plenty of walks will be good for all of us and by the end of each day I imagine that the three of us will feel very gruntled.

Thinking back on the bumper sticker I saw yesterday, perhaps it would have been better to have used the Bruce Cockburn phrase, "Waiting for a Miracle" as I think we will all be waiting, waiting, waiting, for the miracle that never comes.

Happy Trails,

Paul
The Thoughtful (Gruntled) Wanderer