An exercise, and a moment-

One of the kids in creative writing club liked this result of a five- line exercise and suggested I post it - so here goes:

Is it really true that utter strangers can find my buttons and send my emotions veering here and there, in every direction, as if they were steering a radio-controlled car? How arrogant that they can think this! Why do I let them do it? (end of exercise)

It is so easy to assume that you know someone, from their words and from their actions, and then to anticipate what they will think or do in a given situation. This is the beginning of prejudice, and it has always irked me. All of us have depths even we do not know about. Let us all try to listen better, and allow the depths and the wisdom to emerge. (me, pontificating)

Now the moment - last weekend, and all the women in the immediate family were in the kitchen, Mom and my sister addressing envelopes, our younger sister at the computer, me at the sink washing spinach. My sisters began talking about song lyrics, and Bob Dylan. They were saying his lyrics were strange and therefore unpredictable, and began to give examples: "There was a wicked messenger/From Eli he did come," my sister began. My younger sister then began singing, "The times they are a changing" - "Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command.."

At which Mom said, "Well, I knew that long ago."

"Oh, you do all right, Mom!" we all said in chorus.