Shadows of Patters

There was a twenty foot long right triangle outlined in shadow on my neighbor’s lawn. It was ten a.m. and I was standing on my porch trying to enjoy the tepid sixty degree morning weather. For me, this was the fourth? Fifth? Day of chronic neck pain and shoulder pain. My right arm was damn near useless. So when I stepped outside to have a cigar, sit in my chair, try and forget about my ailments in the warm air filled with the smell of spring in a futile attempt to feel normal, I was greeted with a large right triangle.

For a moment I forgot all about my plight. I wondered why the triangle was there. How did the triangle get there and in those thoughts, I became numb to the plight of my deteriorating body. I felt good, or I should say, it felt good.

I’m referring to my brain kicking in and attempting to solve the riddle of the mysterious triangle and where it came from. See, with my brain working, I forgot all about the pain I was in. After all, how often do you see a perfect right triangle in nature? I’m sure I can do an internet search and find out, but, right now, I just don’t feel like it.

I sat down in my chair, lit up my cigar and watched the as the triangle slowly changed. You see, it was made by the shadow of my neighbors roof. As our earth traversed through our solar system, the shadow changed. It transformed into an obtuse triangle and eventually a scalene triangle.

Yet it always remained a triangle.

Which got me thinking about us. You, me, them, everybody. All of us and the craziness that seems to have gripped us in our country.

It seems that there is a type of insanity coursing through our country and it all stems from our capitol. So much craziness, on the internet, television and in scattered bits of overheard conversations from people around me. Now, I don’t normally have much to say about politics, simply because I don’t feel I know enough about the subject to fully have an intelligent opinion.

For you see, that shadowed triangle reminded me of our government, three sides to a triangle, three branches of the government. Now, technically, our founding fathers wanted all three branches to be equal, like an equilateral triangle. I’m also pretty sure that over our countries colored history that on occasion our triangle government has shifted towards an acute, obtuse and even scalene triangle. And it seems to me that it is on that path again.

Which can be a bit scary.

Yet, as I sat there, with the scent and promise of a comfortable spring hanging in the air, I was reminded of a conversation I had with a friend about the state of our country. He was a bit worried, almost to the point of committing to a radical life decision. 

My response to him was simple. “We’ll be fine.”

That’s all I said. Then he sat down and asked me what I meant.

Which is when I went on a self-educated narration of the history of our country. I told him of all the bad things I could think of that our nation has done and transversely I told him of all the good things our country has done.

I explained how the pendulum of radicalism swings and how it will slow and sometimes, we as the citizens get to enjoy some years of moderate rule and sanity.

I also informed him that our country, while being pretty young in comparison to most of the other countries on our spaceship, has advanced faster and further than any other country in the same time period. That no matter what happens we will be fine. We as a nation will eventually find its balance and equilibrium.

I truly believe this. Just as I believe that if I go out on my porch tomorrow morning a few minutes before ten a.m. I will once again be able to observe a shadowy triangle that will continue to fascinate me as it slowly changes into all the forms a triangle can transform into. Just like our government.

Have a great week.

PS. Sorry I’ve been quiet for the past few weeks. I needed a break and I took one.