Looking inward on a very shitty day.

With the exception of receiving a delivery of fresh swiss chard from the very generous serenejournal, this day sucked.

Started with a department wide email about a colleague's 4 year old little boy (Tyler) who was badly burnt Wednesday night. His brother was playing with the lazy-susan at a Chinese restaurant. The large pot of very hot tea flew off the table and burnt Tyler from the neck down to his waist and both arms and hands. He is in a burn unit in S.F., wrapped like a mummy, on morphine for a couple of days, before the doctors can assess the damage. His father works a few blocks away at another center.

Tyler is in a pre-school right next to the building I work in. I've often seen his dad dropping him off or picking him up. Last week stonebender and I were walking pass the pre-school, when we ran into Tyler and his dad. While I talked shop with dad, Tyler talked to Stonebender. "I know why you're in that chair." he said. We stopped our conversation for a second to listen. Stonebender said "Why" and Tyler proudly responded "Because you can't walk!" Simple, direct, non-judgmental; just the facts.

My interactions with Tyler have been minimal, yet today's news greyed my day. I cried for the little boy, his pain, his parent's pain and his sibling's pain, his extended family and friends. The older brother is about 6 or 7; I hope there will be love, support and intervention to minimize the guilt he is feeling. Tyler, of course, needs a great deal of love and support. This is a life changing moment for Tyler and his family.

And a ripple in mine, a texture absent yesterday, but up front and very present today. I chipped a tooth many years ago. For months my tongue would seek it out, it felt foreign, wrong, something in need of soothing. With time, the sharpness of the break yields to the body's geology; it became smoother, transitioned to "normal". Now I am seeking out this new knot, smoothing it, weaving it. It will change texture, it will take its place with all the thousands of others, it is my tapestry.

My life is not CHANGED by this event, but I am changed.

Rambled enough for one day, now I will amble off to bed.

I Love Greens

Cooked up the swiss chard serenejournal gave me yesterday. Cleaned it and cut it up a little, separating the harder stems. I placed the stems in boiling water for a few minutes before I put the rest of the leafs in. Cooked it a few more minutes, drained, hit it with some garlic powder, kosher salt and a splash of oil. Chard and spinach are my favorite, but I've never met a green from any cuisine, cooked in any manner, that I have not liked. Bitter, peppery, savory, plain, sauced, you put it in front of me and it will probably disappear pretty quickly.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm