Literary Meditation/Seasonal Smiles

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

By Cherno Baba Jallow

Seasonal Smiles

I lay in bed, eyes wide open. I know it is time to get up and get going. But I am bed-ridden, failing at every urge to jump into motion. I am like a fly in amber. Except for the muffled sounds of thoughts streaming into my consciousness, I feel totally self-possessed inside this tranquil enclave of a sunny mid-morning. Inside my bedroom, silence is spread wide. The TV is unusually off. The radio hasn’t been turned on for weeks. I haven’t had any cravings for the airwaves lately. It looks like I am in the process of ditching one addiction for another. The TV is fast becoming my passageway to the world.

As I lay still, the sun peeps through the window. Mother Nature is being a voyeur. Or maybe, she is being a careful observer, suspecting that I am being caught in self-inflicted immobility. I take it that I – this lazy bum! – is being nudged against beginning the day enfeebled and purposeless. I take a fleeting glance at the clock; it is almost midday. It is well past time to eject from the bed. I am reminded that there are some household tasks to do. Cleaning inside the house? Buying groceries? Taking the car to the shop for an oil change? But having stayed in bed this long and still reeling from some form of mental lassitude, I imagine it is going to take some time before I am able to get into a state of vitality.

But upon stepping outside, I suddenly notice a change in my deportment. The weather is having a vibrant effect on me. I walk down to the store, relishing the unseasonal warmth of the day. It is officially spring now, but for me, like many in my weather-preoccupied community, summer has come two months early. The cold and freezing temperatures are gone! And there is not a single drop of snow on the ground. I am already thinking ahead: ditching the car for long walks under the sun, buying a new pair of soccer boots and maybe, just maybe, try swimming for the first time.

I began the day lacking in energy and motivation. But now I am heartened, full of life – thanks to the beautiful weather outside. The weatherman says temperatures will continue to rise in the coming days. And before long, it will be real summertime. I am all smiles.

About the author: Cherno, a lover of nature and the arts, is an executive member of the Basse Association, Inc. He lives in Southfield, Michigan, USA.