The present is supposed to be a place of joy, inner calm, and tranquility. It is sort of like being in the eye of a hurricane. All about you, the wind is blowing hard, but it’s peaceful in that center. There are pilots who have flown planes into the eyes of hurricanes. I do not know how they get in and out of the center – and therein lies the problem. How does a pilot get into the center of the storm? Don’t they have to go through torrential winds to get there?

To extend the analogy – to get to that center space, let’s call it the present, one must brave terrific metaphorical winds. Then when one is there, there really is no way of knowing if one will experience the above-noted joy, inner calm, and tranquility.

Me, I am doubtful about being at peace with myself when in the present. You see, being in the present has its own drawbacks. I don’t know about others, but angst is a driving force in my life. Without it, I would be like an over-ripe vegetable, just hanging out, waiting to be tossed into the compost heap.

It is not hope that keeps me going because this is just an illusion. Rather, I look to the next hurdle, wondering if I will make it or if I will fall flat on my face and end up with gravel embedded in my knees.

Without hurdles, and without uncertainty, I’d end up being a sitting duck.

So today’s hurdle, going to a ribbon cutting at Global Credit Union. It took all I had to get me there. As it turned out, I made it after the ribbon cutting. I guess bankers and their ilk are very time conscious.

Me, I just do not move fast enough in the mornings. Sometimes I think as I am getting up at 8:00 a.m. that the majority of people in this world are already awake and doing great things. I know this because we have gotten calls at this hour. And the few times that I’ve made calls at this hour, those on the far end of the phone circuitry answer and are quite articulate.

Me, I do not do coffee. I do tea, and after I tend to the animals, which is my wake up call.

Maybe I am in the present after I give the waiting horses their treats and they race out the open gate, and I watch them run to the closer gate. Yes, this could be the case. And I don’t have to endure any uncertainty or dread to get there. Well, there are those handful of minutes prior to heading outside, when I have to go from being horizontal to vertical. This is never easy, particularly when the bed is warm and the forest service cabin (this is what we call our cabin) is cold.

Once I get my Refrigiwear suit on I am just fine. Everyone should be as lucky as me, that is to have horses which allows me to be in the present.

Next: 77. 3/18/26: When did humans grasp the concept of death?