The Power of Nature

I saw a tree this morning whose roots had grown around several rocks, engulfing them in its lingering embrace without  slowing its growth. The part of the trunk containing the rocks was well above ground level, which led me to muse yet again on the power of nature. Sometimes it is quiet,  gentle and creative…water dripping on stone can slowly change the course of rivers and create the Grand Canyon. Lack of water can dry up lakes and turn them into meadows. Other times it is violent and destructive, as evidenced by a dead and splintered tree which was struck by lightning, its torn fallen branches being eaten by bugs and slowly returning to the soil, or landslides which can wipe out whole villages in a few minutes.  The only consistent thing about nature these days, is its unpredictability…and the folly of humans who refuse to believe that they  cannot always be in charge.


The only picture I managed to take today was of the sink, scattered with cotton balls, surgical gloves, odd looking instruments and a red needle disposal box, taken with my phone while I lay on my side waiting for the pink liquid which had just been squirted into my aching ear to stop fizzing and bubbling. I went to the "After Hours Walk-in Clinic"  hoping to avoid another day of vertigo and another night of shooting pain in my head, and also, I must admit because I really don't like  my primary care physician, who doesn't seem to take much interest in me. Although I did have to wait, I felt well cared for by this friendly group, hidden away in a local strip mall. I walked out with a nice clean ear,  a sore head, a handful of papers, and a prescription for medication for an ear infection. Although I was the third patient with ear infection the doctor had had seen, I was the only one over eight! 

The yellow sign on the wall says: Please note. We cannot treat you if you appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol