Mothers and Balance

Happy Day to all you amazing mothers out there.

I've been thinking this weekend about balance, mainly about balance in the universe - kind of a big topic I know - the word that jumps into my head is equilibrium.  I know from various physics and chemistry courses I've taken over the years, that all of the natural world seeks equilibrium.  "Seeks" kind of personifies nature, and I don't mean to do that.  The natural world, in my opinion is not sentient.  Powerful - yes, destructive - yes, but not knowingly so.  It is merely a series of opposing forces.  Equilibrium is the state in which these forces reach stability.

At the atomic level, an ion will not long stay that way.  It will combine with some other atom to reach neutrality.  On a larger scale, the continental plates on this ever-shifting planet of ours push against each other, generating massive stress which is momentarily neutralized by an earthquake.  The air around us, our breath of life, can become unstable and must find neutral ground.  Tornadoes, hurricanes, etc. are the vehicles of neutralization.  The human cost of this quest for stability can be enormous, as our recent history shows.

Carol and I just returned from Alabama where we visited relatives in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, where Carol grew up.  The family drove to Forest Lake to see the home Carol and her siblings grew up in.  It was designed and built by her father.  The following photos will say more than any words I could put down.

Carol's bedroom is on the left. 
Forest Lake from 15th Street.
Carol's home is between the two tarped roof houses.
This side of the lake suffered worse damage than her side.

Enough said.

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