Neighborhood windows

Daisies and Budding Trees Between our House and the Next

Our back windows overlook a handful of houses down the hill. I often find myself glancing down to see what the neighbors might be doing, while I refill my water glass or clean the dishes. One house I often observe, sold in the depths of winter, still hidden under our record breaking piles of snow.

The family which moved in brought with them a small, black, cat with a white stripe down her forehead onto her nose and under the chin. And lately she has taken to sitting at the large glass door off the dining room, watching the yard come alive. Spring is finally here! 

There is a small band of woods between our house an theirs, maybe 5 trees deep, in which the squirrels love to hop from the trees to the fence enclosing her yard just to taunt her!! This morning as I rinsed out my smoothie jar, I glanced down to see her face scanning attentively with each passing bird. In correspondence to the wind which rustled the trees, her tail flicking was and eyes wide.

I hate to be cooped up. I can hardly stand sleeping in, or resting for five minutes upon returning to the house (I must put my bag away or organize something!!). As I watched the little kitty, the neighbor came across the porch to the door. Would the kitty pounce?! Would she seize this moment to escape and explore the great outdoors? Would her dreams of chasing after the many small creatures in the yard finally come true? No. None of the above. She slunk away into the depths of the house, under the security of the kitchen table legs, to return when the door was once again safely closed, only then, did she continue her attentive watching of the world at play. 

As I stepped out of the window light and returned to my morning routine, I had a single thought: let me never be content with watching my world pass by, I want to live while I'm alive.