FTLComm - Tisdale - March 28, 1999

It is comforting to notice that many changes, be they those in nature and in our way of life, are gradual. There is a good deal to be said about things changing gradually, as it gives us a chance to adjust and modify what we are doing. This scene is the best example I can show of how adaptation to change is pleasant when it is not to abrupt. The snow has gone, little puddles dot the area, the grass is brown just as it was before the arrival of the snow and in a few days will begin the process of taking on its chlorophyl glow. The evergreens hold onto their appearance year round, while the others get ready to show off their foliage

The greens had been protected with these snow fences and has already begun its frantic pursuit of growth. So many things happen to us that just turn everything around, some times in seconds our life, our expectations, our whole being is forever changed. Illness and accident, relationships and occupations, all can sneak up unseen and pulverise our existence. In personal terms, even planned changes can produce waves of new challenges for us and we have to reestablish what we are and what we do. Humans like the grass on this green thrive on challenge, it is the very essence of existence that affords each the opportunity to verify that life exists and that coping is well within our grasp. Some suggest that it is the challenges of drastic change that bring us to the peek of our capabilities and allow us to innovate and create. But, it is still comforting to just enjoy peaceful unobtrusive transitions that move things along sometimes slow enough to seem that no change has taken place at all. This seasonal change is in a lull, the temperatures and signs of winter vanish and the growth of summer is yet to appear. We are in between and smiling. Below is a QuickTime VR panorama of this scene that lets you turn around and look as if you were present. Use your cursor to move left and right and the control button will zoom out while the shift key will zoom in.