I am so incredibly blessed. I dropped off Jamie's thesis in Cook Hall, and stopped because I heard a beautiful click-clicking noise. It was a group of bamboo trees brushing against each other in the wind. I have heard this sound described in books. I have experienced it now. I turned and to my astonishment saw a huge nest up in a tree in front of Cook Hall. Seconds later, because I am that blessed, I saw a huge hawk diving down into the nest with brush to further build the nest. I heard the squawking of another hawk in the nest. I watched the nest-builder swoop down to pick up more brush. I am privleged enough to encounter this beauty. Filled to the brim with gratitude for being alive right now in this scene, I walked home along the bay and the wind blew the scent of salt and dead fish against me. It was heaven through the nostrils. My senses are overwhelemed by things like this. I am a sensualist, it is true.

I kid you not, I then saw a pair of parrots chasing each other through the air. This is the town I live in right now. Welcome to Sarasota, Florida. How lucky am I? And as if that were not enough, this world presented me with more birds heralding its glory, the sublime beauty of this thing, this place. A seagull with its curved wings floated on the breeze overhead. Walking by the pond, I intersected one of those fat spotted ducks that was crossing the street as I was walking down it. It looked at me without fear. I am part of this system, of this beauty. I am so blessed. Then there was the sight of a huge crane standing like a statue in someone's yard, and then once in my own yard, noticing that Skip has removed the stepping tiles in our backyard, I saw half of a small bird's egg. Yes! This is life. The beauty is never ending.

Spring is here. The other night at work, the owner brought me out to the pool to show me ducks. This man in his sixties was brought back to infancy by the sight of a mama duck and fifteen! little chicks following her around. And I was too, and today it was a similar feeling. The beauty of this world has that power -- it is empowering to know that there are things with this ability. What capacities we possess!!!