What is life
If full of care
We have no time
To stand and stare.
There was wistfulness for the ability to just be still, with no pressing need to care for. Nevertheless, life has taught me that too much of “standing and staring,” can be wearying rather than pleasurable. I learned long ago, that the antidote to long, enforced waits is to always have a book handy. Depending on the time and place, this could be Tehillim, or a novel, or historical material for research on a novel I was writing.
Since traveling seems to involve delays, I never go anywhere without something to read.
However, once the journey begins, and the scenery unfolds — even familiar scenes of bushes, tall trees, clumps of houses — my eyes leave the book and stare outside. My thoughts go into a trance-like state or suddenly pick up an idea or go whirling into imaginary realms.
A broken-down car by the roadside reminds me of the time we were stuck on a lonely, dusty road in South Africa, my uncle peering worriedly at the engine, until he suddenly saw the car keys dangling in my hand.
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