Discoveries.

The other day a big thunderstorm came out of nowhere in the late afternoon. It was the sort that turns 4pm into 8pm in a matter of seconds. And I watched Jenna and Jamie looking out the window as hail and a river of water from the driveway overtook their garden, this patch of land I see them dote over every day. 

"Well that's it." Says Jamie, as the zucchini are flattened and the peas fall over. "Yep," says Jenna sadly as the tomatoes droop and the beans splay out. 

When the sun comes out it illuminates what looks like a wasteland and they can't bring themselves to go out there. 

Then it keeps raining for days. In between storms Jenna would go out to putter with falling vines, returning with mud all over. 

But eventually the sun came out. And while several plants lost limbs, for the most part they've been rallying, only slightly worse for wear. 

And today Jenna said to me, "maybe this is my metaphor." For on Sunday another person named Kent died and she's been on this quest for some way to organize so many losses. 

I don't know precisely what she means by this. I am a dog after all and I have a superior instinct for what really matters in life: food, walks, and snuggles. 

 But as I just discovered the joys of peas fresh off the vine today I suppose what she means is this: life is about loving plants and people and ideas and animals and all other things into significance. And quite often life is also about things of significance over which even our love has no control. But our ability to live in and love in the world is enhanced by our knowledge of its impermanence. 

Sure the days when you don't lose people or peas are easier. But they become infinitely more precious as you come to also know days in which do. 

See, I'm wise. That's why I know who to sit next to at mealtime. Everything about this kid is tasty. Especially when he eats bugs on a log. 

Jenna also shared a sweet story about Leal with me. Apparently he wrote a book about himself in school that's dedicated to the 31 people in his family. "31?" Jenna inquired. "Who are the 31 people in your family?" And he listed all the Abbatiellos (13) and all the Fournels/Renners (8) and his immediate family minus him (3) and Gruncle Tim, Grantie Carol, Grantie Sue, Gruncle Richard, Riley, Paige, and John Camp. (7)