life's eclectic poisons

everyone has a poison. the cliche phrase rattling around bars, night clubs, cocktail parties and private dates is: "what's your poison?" (a subtle way of asking for someone's drink preference)

for some of us, our poison is a margarita after a long day. for others, going to a driving range allows the building angst in our back muscles to be relieved. for my sister, dumping a load of snow cap candies into a bag of popcorn is a mighty fine high. for my good friend huldah, a banana milkshake makes all the bad stuff go away. during my first year of teaching, my punching bag was my greatest friend. for my mom, it's rolling the metallic wrapping away from the wax paper that sleeves a stick of gum.

the other day, i saw two people almost collide into one another as they were entering/exiting a tanning salon. do millions bask in this artificial sunlight every day? yes. but, it always seems that you see people duck out of tanning salons as if they are trying to hide their previous moment's activities. flaunt your orange sheen and your funky body smell! the fictitious person you are imagining in the parking lot who is judging you has a vice as well.

i considered recently that vices do not have to be addictive substances, tangible items that we consume. the most interesting ones are people or places or experiences...those moments that we feel that natural high...that naughty delight. we almost feel bad for feeling so overwhelmingly engaged.

my brother-in-law's face was priceless when he stared at his baby daughter, just moments old. i could see the tears pooling in the corner of his eyes. he has other children, but this was reagan. she was new and different and unique and special because she was reagan. another baby was born just days ago. his mother and father could not have been more proud of his arrival. watching their faces swell with pride as they shared in the initial moments of life with elias was priceless. his coos, the flickers of his eyes, the changing colors of his skin all seemed to be something to watch and remember. you could see the "high" feeling in their eyes. you could see the awe of new life. watching such things is addictive and makes us feel temporarily immortal.

raging, fiery sunsets can be like a shot of tequila warming your senses. helping a stranger can be like a chocolate covered ice cream cone. someone remembering your birthday. someone recognizing that you "seem off" today. walking down the same street in a foreign place but feeling as if you belong...believing you own those serendipitous deja vu moments. rain. dolphins. recognizing the smell of someone before they appear. hearing your grandmother's favorite song...closing your eyes...and remembering her presence as the cannon rolls.

taste. smell. touch. hear. see. experience. believe. know. hope. dance. cry. laugh. lose. win. hurt. heal.

"...and for everything, there is a season under Heaven..."