Little Acts of Kindness

Something happened to me tonight

That I bet has never happened to you.

Picture the long lines for the Women’s Restroom

At the theater.

Because I waited until the intermission was almost over,

There were only two women in front of me.

Still it was Wait. Wait. Wait.

No one came out.

Finally, the door opened and the next woman went in.

“Is there only one stall?” I asked the women in front of me.

“I don’t understand,” she answered.

“Where are you from?” I inquired.

“Brazil,” she answered,

Then she went into a lengthy treatise,

Most of which I couldn’t comprehend

Except for pieces like “if you talk slowly”.

Eventually a younger woman came over,

Perhaps her daughter.

Maybe she thought she could translate.

Soon the next lady came out

And it was my new friend’s turn.

She gestured for me to go ahead of her.

“Oh, no, no, you’ve been waiting in line.

It’s your turn.”

She refused and sent me in.

“It’s the Brazilian way,” her daughter explained.

Little deeds of kindness

Little words of love,

Make the world as happy

As the heavens above.

A Beautiful World

Would the world be a more beautiful and fair place to live

if all the religious leaders on the face of the earth,

with a slight bow,

regardless of status or gender,

softy said,

"I bow to the divine in you"

or

“May the teacher in me

honor and respect

the teacher in you.”

?

Snippets of Spring in our neighborhood.

Not far from the tree

To celebrate Brigitte's 19th birthday, I resurrected our Christmas letter from 1996.

Back in 1956-60, I worked for US Steel on the top floor of the Walker Bank Building in Salt Lake City. I still remember a scribbled note someone tacked in the elevator:

It took 40 years to build the Salt Lake Temple

That we all know ‘tis true.

The remodeling of the Walker Bank elevators

Is being done by the same crew!

Now forty years later, we scribble our own little ditty about forty:

The Children of Israel wandered for 40 years;

From the bible we know ‘tis true.

And it took us 40 years of marriage

To become Grandma and Grandpa Hugh!

How they are connected we cannot tell;’

We only know ‘tis great to be Grand;

And the babies bring so much joy,

We think we’ve entered the Promised Land!

 

 Brigitte, 4 months (born April 7, 1996)  and Jonathan Hugh, 4 weeks (born July 26, 1996)

 DeRay at about 8 months

 Jeanette at 6 months

 Grandma and Grandpa with Brigitte and Jonathan

The moon takes up the wondrous tale

THE SPACIOUS FIRMAMENT ON HIGH

Joseph Addison

The spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heavens, a shining frame
Their great Original proclaim.

Th’unwearied sun, from day to day,
Does his creator’s powers display,
And publishes to every land
The work of an almighty hand.

Soon as the evening shades prevail
The moon takes up the wondrous tale,
And nightly to the listening earth
Repeats the story of her birth;

While all the stars that round her burn
And all the planets in their turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,
And spread the truth from pole to pole.

What though in solemn silence all
Move round the dark terrestrial ball?
What though no real voice nor sound
Amid the radiant orbs be found?

In reason’s ear they all rejoice,
And utter forth a glorious voice,
Forever singing as they shine,
The hand that made us is divine.

The Eclipse of the Moon

Saturday April 4, 2015

6 AM

 

 This is an airplane flying over - the best my poor camera could do!

 The airplane descending to the Salt Lake Airport. You can't tell?

Yip, we got up to witness the marvel.  

Phenomena like this never cease to amaze me.