Today's MOZEN 8/24/2013

Words and photo by F LoBuono

Lately, for many reasons, I've been feeling distracted and, more importantly, disconnected. The more I read, the more I see, the more I hear, the more disillusioned I've become. The news, in whatever form you find it, seems to be worse than bad - it's horrendous. Senseless murder, wanton greed, forcible rape, genocide, and general mayhem dominate the headlines. And when we look to escape, often through the medium that was designed to provide the means, television, we are barraged with a plethora of mindless, meaningless, so-called "reality" crap!! Duck Dynasty? The Real Housewives of Anywhere? Really? This is food for the mind and soul?? No wonder we lose faith in mankind!! I can only speak for myself but it makes me want to SCREAM!!!!!!!!

One morning, while driving to pick up a buddy, ruminating on all the ills in the world and feeling generally helpless because of it, I noticed a young woman in a wheel chair being escorted down the street by an attendant. It was a beautiful summer day and the sun was shinning brightly. The woman appeared to be severely disabled and her movements were restricted to her face and head. It was that face that so greatly moved me. She positioned herself so that the brilliant sun would strike it fully. And she was smiling - a great, big, full-faced smile. It was apparent that, at that moment, there was nothing more important in her life than that ray of sunshine. It caressed her. It nourished her. It filled her. I could see the joy clearly written all over her face. And that was all that mattered. So simple. So sublime. So REAL.

She reminded me that we must live in the moment. We must cherish the little things that make life so precious. We must reward ourselves with the simple pleasures, like feeling the sun on our face. Sometimes, it's all you need.