FRONT PORCH REFLECTIONS

Thoughts, Stories, and Reflections from James Milson

“Hope, in Ordinary Clothes”

Before the lantern is turned down and another visit to Honey Hill Country comes to a close, James Milson offers a few final thoughts from The Front Porch.

Sometimes reflective, sometimes humorous, and always heartfelt, these conversations celebrate the people, places, and simple moments that make life worth slowing down to enjoy.

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Sitting here this afternoon, rocking slowly with a cup of Chamomile tea in hand, it has become apparent that this June afternoon seems unable to make up its mind as to what kind of day it wants to be. The sun is shining brightly on the shimmering green leaves of the Honey Locust tree outside my window, yet there are dark clouds with thunder rumbling overhead.

And isn’t life that way sometimes. We see the bright light, yet we so often seem to pay more attention to the rolling thunder in our lives. And doing that, in life’s kaleidoscope of light and dark, we can sometimes lose sight of Hope.

Emily Dickinson, in her poem “Hope”, wrote that . . . .

“Hope is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all.”

And that is where we end this month — with Hope.

We frequently spend so much time looking for grand reasons to be hopeful that we sometimes overlook the small ones. Things right in front of us.

A leisurely walk through the hills . . . .

A sandwich offered in hospitality . . . .

An inviting garden gate left open for us . . . .

A radiant hummingbird pausing at a feeder . . . .

Fresh strawberries and children at play . . . .

The excitement of a new adventure . . . .

A gathering of community and friends sharing stories . . . .

A recovered pair of lost gardening shears . . . .

A neighbor waving from across the road . . . .

An unexpected friend stopping by . . . .

A cardinal sitting on a windowsill . . . .

A cup of tea on a rainy afternoon . . . .

A magazine shared with friends . . . .

Sometimes hope doesn’t arrive as a grand event.

Yet more often than not, hope arrives in ordinary clothes.

Sometimes it simply shows up and sits beside us for a while

‘Til next time then. — Jim  (and Red!)

Pen-and-ink illustrations have been created for this piece with the assistance of AI . . .  lovingly prepared and styled for the world of Little Red Bear.