So I bought two new blouses, one in a deep orange and one in a dark reddish color, which the manufacturer refers to as 'mineral'. The mineral it best resembles is 'ruby'. I didn't waste much time in fixing the sleeves of both to fit me. While I sat and sewed, all sorts of thoughts came to me, and I had marvelous epiphanies. Can I explain them here? Perhaps it is sufficient to say when through personal experience, if you know something, that knowledge is something no one can take away from you.

I'll leave this statement as mysterious as it is, and let you draw what conclusions you may.

As I write this, the rising and swelling instrumental music of Ennio Morricone's movie scores fill the air, as played by the violinist Yo-Yo Ma and the Roma Sinfonietta Orchestra. It is perfect backdrop to the mood I feel.

My feeling of triumph was also echoed in a smaller fashion this morning. When I finished sewing the last button on the ruby blouse, I hung it up. I took down another hanger, also holding a nearly identical ruby blouse, except that it is a size larger. I took that blouse off the hanger and put it in the bin of clothes that no longer fit! It is the first time I've put something in that bin because it was too large!

It is just a small feeling of triumph, but it gives me hope for the future. That is a small hope, but there is the larger hope. There is no way to measure the sense of hope my early morning epiphany has given me.

May each of you, my dear readers, find that sort of epiphany in your own lives. On this note, I'll sign off until the next entry.