"Life is rough with everybody."

Lining up for summer day camp at Southwest Community Center.

(Bottom, SOOC. Top, edited in Pic Stitch app on iPhone.)


Dishman pool has closed for two weeks. It's the closest to home, and the best.
I miss my classes and I miss my pool buddies.
SWCC is my substitute, eight miles down I-5 amid 18-wheelers
and interminable construction.
The 11am water aerobics class I tried today was assigned to the kiddy pool
to free up the main pool for lap swimmers, and it was way too warm.
Note to self: Don't dawdle in the a.m.
(Always the same note. And I always forget to read it.)

I've been receiving a tremendous amount of support here and elsewhere,
for which I'm grateful.
But sometimes, even after meditating on my blessings,
I still feel like sucking my thumb.

Each of these boys has his troubles.
As I observed them I saw myself.
I'd much rather be the brave solemn boy in the wheelchair,
showing up and taking part as best he can.
Thumb-sucking is not the most attractive life strategy.

I recently read this quote in The New Yorker by the 85-year-old
African-American vernacular/outsider artist, Thornton Dial:

"Life have been rough with me. How it been with you?
Life is rough with everybody. We all have had a hard time.
If you got a million dollars you still got a hard time in life,
because it ain't nothing easy."

Life have been rough with me these days.
How it been with you?


ROUGH: DDW August 20 challenge