“If a creature can be said to have discovered transcendental meditation, then it must be the white rhino.”

~ Sam Anderson, “A Mother and Daughter at the End”

On Sunday mornings, while I walk, I enjoy checking out the New York Times “Sunday Read” podcast. I got completely, happily lost in this week’s offering: “A Mother and Daughter at the End,” the story of the last two northern white rhinos on earth, by Sam Anderson. A beautiful, tragic story, so moving. Imagine, being the last two living beings of an entire species. I walked for a long time through the wetlands, admiring the ice, and listening to this powerful story. I saw some darling, muddy racoon tracks etched on the ice at the brook. I found a lovey feather. I felt the cold air whisking my energy up, rosing my cheeks. It’s winter, and no snow on the round, making the walks in woods easy. I had a long, wonderful talk with my dear friend who is busy with her new grandmothering role, and we share the joy of being grandmothers now. Indoors, I wrote and sent my weekly Aim for Astonishing writing prompt. A series of my nature photos of heart shaped items was accepted by a journal for the February issue. I prepared for the open mic I produced tonight for the International Women’s Writing Guild, featuring Myra Shapiro, and this made my heart very, very happy, hearing her read her poems, and all the readers in the open mic. Then, my daughter and I had a long visit, and I thought, how blessed am I to get to be her mother.