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Today I am shaking my head in wonder. Human nature has once again surprised and disappointed me, as I am sure it does everyone from time to time. It is the duality of the smile that has me in a quandary today. I find the smile the most precious of human expressions. When the face lights from within the glory of the universe shines. Those smiles can capture you instantly; they can lower barriers unassailable by any other means. There are less spectacular smiles that play a role in amiable social interactions, signaling friendly intentions and goodwill. It seems to me a shame then, when this expression is mimicked in the aid of deception, masking hidden agendas and sometimes an attempt to lower the defenses of others so that an advantage might be gained. A sad element of the calculated smile is that the person behind the face is often unaware of his or her own contrivance; they wield this weapon in conscious ignorance. Sadder still are those who believe that this mode of interaction is "human nature" and inevitable; they wield it without remorse. And, of course, there are always "those who smirk" to contend with. I find these the least offensive, since their sense of inferiority and disappointment is "written all over their face". Once an individual's smile has served to play me the fool, their ability to engage and delight me vanishes. I do not forget the betrayal of innocence offered. Forgiveness is not a relevant concept; I proscribe to a pragmatic acceptance of character weakness in myself and in others. What has me in such turmoil? It is Beldar season here. False smiles fly the blue skies. It is best to avoid looking up.
Attila and I spent two quiet and lovely days in the wilds of the Pinery Provincial Park. On Saturday we sat contentedly on the banks of the Ausable River, enjoying the breezes and the scent of pine. Sunday found us stretched out on our chairs in the lee of a sand dune, surrounded by stunted oaks and sandy grasses. This spring I purchased a ridiculously inexpensive Hibachi. Attila assembled it on a picnic table beside the river on Saturday and prepared a meal fit for royalty. We ate heartily of grilled chicken, grilled ratatouille, and rice. The meal was such a treat that we repeated it on a table in a sand dune on Sunday. Each day, after we packed up our things, we enjoyed a leisurely walk on the beach. On Saturday evening the five-mile expanse was ours alone to wander. The Sunday evening beach was crowded with a kaleidoscope of merry makers. Sunday was Father's Day, which may account for the increased population, as many families spent time with their own special Dad.
As we parked our car outside a Tim Horton's donut shop early on Sunday morning, Attila made an interesting observation. There were great many lone men with children heading in to the shop. "Custody day," said Attila. It seemed sad to me, but my perceptions may be biased. None of them looked unhappy, but neither did they look happy. Attila had a wonderful Father's Day. He spent the day relaxing in the sun, eating his favorite food, snoozing, and finally watching the waves. He received cards and calls from our girls, wishing him well and glad that he had enjoyed his day. He was glad that they had enjoyed their day. |
RECIPES :: Cast Worldly Distractions  The River On the Airwaves Secret O' Life James Taylor  The Man Weather 11:22 AM DST Temp: 26` C Humidity: 61% Wind: S 20 mph Barometric:101.7 kPa Sunrise 5:44 AM DST Sunset 9:06 PM DST |
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