I was feeling bad about the car. They still have it, and it may take a big pile of money to fix.

The wind's been fierce all day. The power went out about 5 PM. I was puttering around the house and heard a loud crack. I looked out a window and saw the top of a tall pine tree across the street falling through the branches. Went over to talk to that neighbor. Another neighbor said he'd seen the top of a tree 50' or more back in the woods break off and fly until it hit the tree I saw it tearing branches from. I eventually came home again and puttered some more.

In the basement, I found The Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson. I didn't even know I had it, but it was sitting on top of a box. I brought it upstairs and decided to read the poetry. I WAS looking for something appropriate for the day. Flipping pages, I found a 1958 church bulletin stuck in, and read the pages it marked.

Music

Let me go where'er I will,
I hear a sky-born music still:
It sounds from all things old,
It sounds from all things young,
From all that's fair, from all that's foul.
Peals out a cheerful song.

It is not only in the rose,
It is not only in the bird,
Not only where the rainbow glows,
Nor in the song of woman heard,
But in the darkest, meanest things
There alway, alway something sings.

'T is not in the high stars alone,
Nor in the cup of budding flowers,
Nor in the redbreast's mellow tone,
Nor in the bow that smiles in showers,
But in the mud and scum of things
There alway, alway something sings.

The cancellation stamp on the church bulletin was for The Heart Fund. Their slogan was "New Hope for Hearts."

Here's to perserverance, and here's to the hope that keeps us going...