Life’s Unexpected Pleasures

Noticing that we had a new mail carrier, I
opened the garage door for the large package
she carried. We chatted. Then I offered her
some small snacks. She had not had lunch
and was most appreciative. A hug followed.
No time to escape her explanation that

she is a hugger through her masked face.
I did not flinch but hugged her back.
Pandemic or no pandemic. How does one
physical distance a hug? Virtually?
Later on a private walk through an
empty elementary school lot, we

reflected on the tape wrapped securely on
the playground’s equipment. Almost imagined
the shouts of children. On the ground embedded
in sand were brightly colored stones painted
by little fingers. What messages of joy and
happiness they contained. I shared their joys!

Sat on the buddy bench all alone and took
in the scene before me with clouds threatening
to open in rain at any moment. No sooner
back home when my husband announced the
grocery delivery. He said the name Heike and
asked me to come to the garage.

     

What a wonderful surprise and opportunity
to once again converse in German with a
native speaker from Mainz. She looked too young
through a masked face to have grandchildren. I
must have appeared younger to her when she
inquired when I was teaching now.

After an almost fifty year career of teaching
German, I had hung up that hat about
four years ago. She initially thought I was
a native German. For all practical purposes,
I might as well be. My name means “the
German girl” after all. She sang with a

Bach group in Germany after she learned
we had sung in Prague with the Berkshire
Choral International and with the
Syracuse Chorale. New hats now: music,
writing, blogging and reading. Shine
your brightest light: life is good.