As I wait for my grandson
in the school pickup line,
a breeze meets me,
and I turn my face to fully feel it.
Summer-green hills doze in the distance.
Thin, feathered clouds float in a lazy drift.
The afternoon sun warms my arm.
I sip toasty-sweet, cooling coffee,
listen to the call of birds
and the footsteps of one of the
after-school cleaning crew.
She checks her watch
as she make her way between cars
to the school building.
The woman in the next car
gathers her hair,
smooths and gathers,
smooths and gathers,
and at last decides it’s good enough
to twist a scrunchie around it,
her phone in selfie mode as a mirror.
Then she goes back to scrolling.
Everyone seems to be bent over
their phones, which is exactly
what I would be doing
if I hadn’t accidentally left my phone at home.
I am untethered to technology,
drifting along with the day,
soothed by the sights and scents and sounds
of the real, here-and-now world.
I inhale its richness and revel in the wonder
of waiting.
-kh-

Nurture peace, cultivate kindness, and carry the calm.

Nature of the week (look closely—can you find the goldfinch?):

Shadow of the week:

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Text and photos © Karyn Henley 2026. All rights reserved.