Looking at Clouds from Both Sides Now

Clouds...I learned to appreciate them when I first heard the lyrics to Joni Mitchell's wonderful song, "Both Sides Now," as sung by Judy Collins in 1968. It helped me to enjoy cloudy days, which wasn't easy to do for a Southern California high school student who loved being outside in the sunshine. I began to study clouds, although not scientifically - just looking at them, especially at sunset, sunrise, or gazing out of a window on a plane. I frequently traveled by air when I was in my 20's and 30's, hopping on a jet to fly back and forth from Los Angeles to St. Thomas or Honolulu. Staring at the clouds from my window seat became a meditation. I love clouds.

Metaphorically, clouds have come to mean the challenges life throws at me from time to time. I think about planes having to circle around those big thunder bumpers. I feel that same way about dealing with yucky stuff such as family squabbles and my mom's little old white dog, Bailey, who continues to lift his leg on Mom's bed and other furniture, even the base of the toilet in her bathroom, which is a bit easier to clean. I'd rather circle around those issues, but often I just have to fly through the cloud and hope for the best. The other side of the "Bailey cloud" is that Mom adores him, and that makes us happy.

The photos are a beautiful fall sky above our backyard, complete with clouds, and of course, Mom and Bailey.