from the sky
“That’s orange, not yellow,” said Urania.
“I learned the colors of the rainbow with you in kindergarten Urania…I understand the ball is orange,” Thalia replied.
“But…he said yellow ball,” Urania reacted.
Thalia took a deep breath.
Calliope fluttered into the kitchen, “Hey…why are you taking photos of the fourlegs’ new ball? Isn’t the color brilliant…in more ways than one? Get it?”
“Brilliant in radiance and brilliant because we can find it in the snow…did I get it?” asked Urania.
“Yes!” Calliope chirped like a chickadee in spring. “You’re brilliant, too.”
“And what about me?” Thalia asked. “The photo was my idea. We’re going to share that delightful sentence Tarrant wrote in Bring Me the Rhinoceros this morning,” said Thalia.
“Didn’t he say yellow ball?” asked Calliope.
“He did,” Thalia growled. “We don’t have a yellow ball. Isn’t orange close enough?”
“Sure Tal—brilliant. Great idea…thanks for being on the ball this morning! Get it?” Calliope replied.
“Drum roll please…,” Urania teased before sharing, “It was as if I held out my hand to see if it was raining and a yellow ball fell into my palm.”
“His ‘yellow ball’ was puzzling over koans and ours is writing,” sighed Calliope with the contentment of a muse who’d just eaten a vanilla iced long John.
Tarrant went on to say… “I didn’t understand the koans, but they made life seem beautiful, even the painful and miserable parts, and that changed the value of everything.” added Urania. “Good thinking—to use the orange ball Thalia—brilliant, even.”
“Now…who wants granola?” asked Calliope.
What a kerfuffle, Gail! Good as always, but I’d consider some noise cancelling headphones if faced with their “a-musing” running commentary! Especially at the start of day, waiting for the coffee to brew.
Tarrant’s metaphor using the yellow ball is a perfect example of a Eureka moment. I, on the other hand, can walk through a thunderstorm of yellow balls without a hint of Eureka. Preoccupation, failure to be present, rehearsing for life all divert me from the yellow balls.
I’m going to guess that if long Johns are an available alternative to granola, your granola supply may last forever.