“And this tenderness was not like
That which a certain poet
At the beginning of the century called true
And, for some reason, quiet. No, not at all—
It rang out, like the first waterfall,
It crunched like the crust of bluish ice
And it prayed with a swanlike voice,
And it broke down right before our eyes.”
― Excerpt from Anna Akhmatova, The Complete Poems of Anna Akhmatova

In mid-June, look for the wild azaleas in the woods by the wetlands where they bloom, year to year. I found the white blossoms there today. Every year the first sighting stops my breath. I leaned in to the delicacy, with my lens, for a close-up. Tears well up. Taking the photo, this is what puts me into the tender frame of mind. Because the flower is tender. Vital, and tender. It awakens tenderness, it draws it forth. It’s a pretty splendid way to feel, walking, a morning, the woods, any season And a talk with my dear friend, a long one, on the phone, and just what we both needed. Renewal, refreshment. I had two writing clients today, and I very much appreciated our writing time together. And a session with Nina. One thing that rose up in me, to have the chance to express to Nina, who introduced me to psychodrama, who was my trainer for eight years, was how vital a force she has been in my life. And, still is. Tears welled up again, as I leaned in to our moment together. It was training in psychodrama with Nina that unleashed in me, that gave me the awakening to live this creative life I live. Oh, there was more and more and more to this day; difficult moments, they are always there! And, they are always faced, encountered, resolved. In the late afternoon, we went to my friend’s dock for a luscious swim, my husband and daughter and me, and my friend was free to swim with us and chat. I swam so vigorously and the water was, what? Tender. The cold fresh tendered me. And then, we made pizzas. Everyone helped. Both daughters, in the kitchen, all pizza designers and one salad dresser: my daughter’s boyfriend. And a ride for ice cream in the Mustang, top down, in the tender evening air.