Attempted formal portrait

Seth took Evan to his barber for a grown-up haircut, and we planned to make a formal portrait of the two of them. I sort of succeeded (in the extra), but Seth couldn't restrain himself and whispered something that made Evan laugh, and I much prefer that moment between them to the more composed one. Isn't it always the case--the energy of playful resistance is more interesting than the energy of dutiful cooperation.

Margie felt so well today that we walked to the farther-away coffee shop. I told her my grandson was coming to visit, and she was surprised to learn that I have a grandson. I told her he is ten, and he seems to have been born with an easy-going, agreeable attitude. Whatever is on offer, he's happy to say yes to it.

"Oh," she said, slapping the table with her hand, "that will serve him well. My brother was like that. 'Never meet a problem head-on,' he would say. 'Go around it and save yourself a world of trouble.' He was right."

I asked her if she thinks we can change our attitude toward life. She thought about it for a while and concluded,

"No. People try, and it's worth trying, but between you and me, I think you just have to be born that way."