December 14 winter walk

Anne Dillard writes “ I take walks to keep an eye on things”. On a December day of soft sunshine and mild temperatures I pause before a marshy spot by the lake to watch the cattail seeds sail away. I ponder the countless of seeds drifting on the wind from this single small marsh. How few will land on hospitable soil to germinate and flourish. If each cattail was our world, would each puff of seeds released equal the number of humans born each hour? I think not. Or would it equal the number of human souls flying off to the great beyond each day?