I came from Illinois with my glasses on my knee...

I will get to why I have my glasses on my knee is just a moment. This has been a strangely, and for one significant reason, sadly emotional day, despite the Cardinals leading currently 15-6. I have not kept up with regular updates on our old cat Prince. He has had three incidents of stopping eating and drinking over the past several weeks, but has snapped out of it. He is not snapping out of it this time. My personality is one that makes me want to DO something when a creature that I love, either animal or human is hurting. Philip and Caleb, both of whose judgement around important things I deeply respect, say just to let Prince go. He is 12; not terribly old and he has NOT wanted to come in. He wants to be left alone and left outside. It's hard, but I am doing it.

Not as emotional, but strange, is the fact that I did something I have never done before...I got an eye exam...I have done that quite often. What I have not done that I did today is this: I found out that I needed new lenses and so I looked at the optometrist's office for some cool frames. None there. I drove down to Lenscrafters in south Johnson County. Nothing cooler than I have already (which I have had for 2 1/2 years). So I had my new lenses put in my old glasses' frame. That's the first time I have done that. It cost be about the same as it would have if I had gotten new frames. But I could not convince myself to buy some frame that I didn't like. These are my favorite frames EVER. They were my "emergent glasses"(that is, hip and urban). When I picked them out, 2 years ago I thought I was being daring because they looked, well, almost down right European (know what I mean by this, anyway...) They are also sturdy. They have tortoise shell tops and temples. People actually stop me on the street to tell me how much they like them.

So I kept the old frames. I've thought about that a bit today. I talk a lot about "re-framing" a situation---that a situation is often how you frame it. A church may be in a time of change that causes conflict---that's one frame of it. Another is, conflict is inevitable, and it may very well be that it is creative. That's another frame. My kitty is near death. I have cried and cried. It is sad. I hate it that most of the time, we outlive out pets. That is one frame. Another is, Prince has probably been happier this last year than ever---being in a smaller space means he is closer to his humans, who have petted him more. He has had a nice outside area to cat around in. He does not appear to be in any pain. I told him it was okay to give up the cat ghost and go on to kitty heaven. He has been loved and has gotten to live in six different homes. It is time. That's another frame.

So why what does it mean that I chose to keep my old frame? That I am vain and like it when people tell me how neat my frames are? That's one way to look at it. Or maybe I am just more comfortable with myself; I made a great choice two years ago; and by golly, I'm sticking to it. I need to think through the implications of this, but I think it may say something about where I am right now professionally and personally. Either it says I am a stick in the mud; or that I trust my decisions. It's all in how you frame it....