Goodnight Blog

Just a quick note: I've felt pretty safe in my little corner of the world since I moved here. Tonight it got very dark very quickly, and I'd just come from a church committee meeting where we discussed safety precautions. In particular we discussed how many MORE "shady characters" there have been swarming around the church lately. My poor church is under siege! You'd think, to hear them tell it. I was so spooked that for the first time ever, I asked a member of the church's outdoor security team to walk me the two or three blocks home:( Then as I got my key out and opened the accessibility door, two guys passed me and one asked me kindly how I was doing! I felt the fist around my heart, telling me to hurry up and get inside, release completely, and I felt safe again. This neighborhood NEVER ceases to amaze me. As "vulnerable times two"--being a woman with a walker--when my head is clear of the alarmists' concerns and I just let what will be, BE...I'm never disappointed. In fact I'm usually pleasantly surprised! It's just the reminder that I needed--you can never assume. Don't assume people are out to take advantage until they do. Don't assume somebody's up to no good until you see him or her do something untoward. Don't imagine there are monsters behind every corner just because your friends got you scared:) This is not to say I wasn't overjoyed to get back behind my solidly locked apartment door! And it's not to say that I didn't pour the last of my vodka straight into a glass with some ice. Because you better believe I did! But it will make me sleep better; the idea that all the fear is just a veneer, and beneath it is the reality--one that will pleasantly surprise you as it passes by.