Migration 2.0: No one is going to shout ‘You’re going the wrong way!’ at the monarch butterflies that are passing through Kansas on their way to a huge family reunion in Mexico. They know where they’re going and why. They probably know they won’t all make it. They face threats on their journey. Some of the ‘super-generation” butterflies that we see fluttering around flowers in Oakdale Park know they are going to die this winter and may just be delaying the inevitable - especially on pleasant Kansas afternoons. Don’t just take notice of their beauty. Appreciate their migration. Where will you travel to next?
Umwelt: I ran across this word again and it feels good to put the letters m and w together in speech. Is there a slight pause after the Um? Do you hear the letter v? The pause gives us time to realize that how we experience the world is different than other animals and is shaped by the capabilities of our sensory organs. Something like that. Environmental factors can affect our behavior. Past experience does too. We can’t separate our mind from our environment as it interprets for us. Deep breath. Look around. Watch your dog or cat hear or smell Salina completely different than you. I hope. See how fast your brain processes the world around you and enjoy saying the word umwelt.
Beyond Candles: At a certain age, are you beyond candles on your birthday cake? At what age is enough enough? This ritual is about the wish. And, the celebration of life with cake. We need more opportunities to make wishes. Don’t wait. Don’t wait for a perfect homemade cake. There is no angel of wishes, or an imaginary genie. What do you want to see happen? Make that wish. Plant that seed in your brain, in your heart. Think of it every time you see a candle, cake, cupcake or ice cream. Go ahead and light a candle! Begin to make it happen. Bake a prayer or wish into your next cake. You may think you are beyond candles, but you are not beyond making good things happen.
Infinite Horizons: This phrase could describe a KC Chief fan’s dream for the upcoming season - success beyond the planets, a perfectly fine fiddle fusion of offense and defensive dominance and fireworks to celebrate. But, actually this is the Salina Symphony season. Fiddle Fusion is September 27th. The Planets are October 5th at 4 and the Chiefs play Monday night. The Chiefs scheduled a bye week when the Symphony creates Fireworks on Nov. 9th. Check it out! The Symphony and Chiefs have carefully planned together, so conflict is not an excuse. Nice of them. Now, if we can get the Chief’s legend Mitch Holthus on the call: Touchdown! Salina Symphony! Too much?
Seams: I was enjoying a hot cup of coffee in a paper cup, so I needed the sleeve, the hand protector. After a few sips, it began to come apart, like the cliche - at the seams. Usually, these sleeves work well for the short life of a small black coffee. But, coming apart at the seams happens. I probably put too much pressure on it as I slid it up the cup. It can happen to any of us on difficult days, long hours in hospital waiting rooms, crazy days at work, school or in the news. But, what if one of our roles is to be the protective sleeve for others? By Friday, we may feel a seam beginning to split, but we slow it down, take that deep breath to lower the pressure and try to hold it together in a decaf sort of way.
