The nicer things

Some of the nicer things in life are free (they say.) But, sometimes they can come at some expense--that of a plane flight, a few stressful days, or uncomfortable weather, etc. All of the above for me in June when I visited my parents in GA. I went to be with them for my dad's surgery. I got to experience some very nice things, starting with how well my father's surgery went and that it did not have to be more invasive.



There was an abundance of fresh peaches and ripe tomatoes and melons. These are my summer favorites. I even got to fry up some green tomatoes for an appetizer while we were at the lake.
I fished almost as much as I wanted to from the dock. I spent an afternoon with my mother, aunt, and cousin looking at concrete garden statuary, fountains, and containers for sale, driving around the historic district of Cordele picking out houses, and sharing some laughs in a booth where we stopped for sweet tea and lemonade. I was near tears in the sweetness of that moment realizing we may not do this again (even though right now my aunt and mom are in relatively good health for their age.) The other ephemeral occurance that coincided with my lake visit was the sudden appearance of the mayflies. The day before I had fished for hours, or more accurately, I had changed the bait on several poles constantly. No mayflies. The next day I was intrigued by their multitudinous number flying everywhere and landing on the plants, trees, and anything else. The fish were hitting the surface of the water hungry for this brief manna from the heavens. Though it takes a year to develop, after hatching the mayfly lives only a matter of hours (up to a few days, depending on the species.) I noticed more and more of them stuck in cobwebs on the corners of the dock railings and boathouse, suspended in the light. I could study the shape of their long curved forms and veined gossamer wings. An amazing (and free) show for a day.


What strikes me about these nicer things is that they all need to be noticed and then appreciated with gratefulness. How often do I hurry past a gift from God on the way to my next task or important thing? God help me to see the rest of the mayflies every day and wonder.