When we returned after our recent trip out west, an unpleasant smell we had noticed in our coat closet had become unbearable. After fruitless attempts to air it out, today I found the cause: a very small mouse had crawled into an infrequently-used snow boot and met its end. At least that problem was easily solved, although now I’m contemplating a trip to DSW. The mouse who has been haunting our kitchen since winter arrived was luckier: although it was caught in a snap trap it took off running into the back yard when I released it. I wish it well.
At the personal level, I’m grateful that pretty much all of my problems are easy. I have a hard time writing that, since I know it could change. But i hope that acknowledging my good fortune and my privilege helps me to remember the responsibilties that come with it. And to rid myself of the vague sense of guilt that I carry wherever I go. In a community, a country, a world, a planet with so many problems, it’s probably impossible to do enough, ever. But we try. Perhaps we will be lucky too.