Not quite a native Ripley Countian - she attended only her last year of high school in Doniphan though she taught in the R-1 system for 32 years - Teresa (Pearson) Lee delights in surprising readers and herself with anecdotal observations of life in general. Maybe you can blame her St.Louis roots for a quirky humor and some slightly-askewed opinions, but never doubt she writes from the heart.

Intriguing Moments

Posted Friday, July 28, 2023, at 3:07 PM

Surprise Lillies in my yard

Is my experience like yours? Very few times am I totally lost in a moment without thinking about time or my to-do list, the next cat feeding or deadline. But there are those times when total fascination with the moment clears all else from my brain.

These ten examples of such times are not profound, but maybe you can relate.

1. Stretching after a night’s sleep. It loosens the muscles and gets the blood flowing and feels sooo good. (And there’s a fancy word for that and yawning - pandiculation).

2. Enjoying a hot, crispy serving of salty fries - after an enjoyable float trip on a hot July day. That makes it a perfect outing. (There’s a word for that, too, only not as fancy. That’s a craving).

3. Retreating to a rocking chair after a frustrating day - and realizing the cat in your lap likes to rock, too. (Can one be soulmates with a feline?)

4. Knowing you’ll get an enthusiastic YES to the invitation to an hour-long road trip to hear the conclusion of a Hercule Poirot mystery on Audible. (That’s a human kindred spirit for sure).

5. Having a hankering for a particular dessert and discovering all the ingredients on hand!

6. Remembering a meaningful quote from long ago and finding without hassle the shelf, book and page it’s on.

7. Being thrilled with the sudden appearance of the surprise lilies - even though you know where and about when they will make their entrance in the flowerbed.

8. Finding a long-lost ring, and it still fits.

9. Giving/receiving smiles and hugs from one not seen in forever - and recognition is mutual. the

10. Discovering mutual experiences/friends when making new ones.

My life gets hectic but I am reminded that, “Joy comes in sips, not gulps.” (Sharon Draper)

(For the July 26, 2023 issue)