I'm taking much better care of today

than I took of yesterday.

Hello.

How are you?
I hope you are fine.
Or if you are suffering,
I hope there is a way
for you to ease that suffering
or have it eased, or forget about it
for a minute or two.

It seems to be a very difficult world
sometimes these days but maybe
it's just me but I don't think so.

Is there any way to sit in the sun
for a few minutes? Is there any way
to tinker in the garden a little, yours
or somebody else's if you don't have one?
Is there any way to get a little writing in?
Just relaxed, wise, true kind of writing,
or gentle, open, you-sized, straightforward.
A few effortless lines, thoughts, observations.

I called a friend yesterday and I'm
going to see if I can call another one
today. Usually I think I don't have
anything to say but then we start talking
and it's fine, a lot better than I expected.
easier and laughing and I come out of it
happy that I did it. But it's still hard
to do, to start doing. Why is it so difficult
to start doing something that is good
for me and somebody around me?

I went to an art show of a man, a friend
who is very ill. I know him from sobriety.
There were many people there and he was
surrounded so I didn't get a chance to
talk to him much. I bought a painting
of his called "Study of Eve." It's holy
or I get a feeling of holiness looking
at it. It's small, 9" by 12", sandy desert
background, thin blue frame, tall green
and red partly-formed figures embracing
in the center, delicate pale violet
and orange circle behind them in a scene
natural and simple and raw and mystical.
You keep looking at it and feel good even
if you don't know what it is or what it is
supposed to be, or what it might mean.