For Mary

Funk? Get the funk out of here.

For those of you who don't live in Minnesota, you may not know that at this time of year there is such a sense of foreboding. It's not Alaska, but. But! Such a sense of darkness and cold, cold wind. Shoveling in the 30 below windchill so you get to work on time. Shoveling so the kids can get to the bus stop. Strong Minnesotans steel themselves. Weaker ones (who moved here from Iowa) cry themselves to sleep on howling-windy nights in October and November.

But when we emerge in the spring? In mid-June? Sweet, sweet joy. Joy. Warm, manic, crazy joy.

And in the meantime I will wait patiently for another sighting of the aurora borealis. I can make it through the cold if God will let me see that again.