Un Segno di Dio

Walla Walla gave us one of her finest spring days yesterday. The balance of fluffy white clouds to blue sky was perfect. The dogwoods and lilacs have exploded in riotous color and fragrance. I had errands to run in town and opted to go by foot and enjoy the Whitman campus and all the lovely changes to Main Street. On my way to the bank, a bird decided that my gray shirt matched the sidewalk enough to make a deposit. Nothing like the universe to humble me right when I start getting a little high in the instep.

Immediately, I knew I could rage against the bird, the sky, the universe, God, or laugh. I chose laughter. And a quick trip to the bank’s restroom to clean up. There’s nothing quite like a half-soaked shirt and hair while trying to do banking business. Humor was the ticket through.

Of course, I thought of a funny scene in a favorite movie. Bryan and I watched Under the Tuscan Sun a few times and really enjoyed it. The scene is when Frances is making an offer on the villa in Tuscany when the owner, an older woman, says no, the offer is too low. At that precise moment, a bird “blesses” her at which point the elderly lady exclaims that this is “un segno di Dio” a sign from God that Frances should be the new owner. Instead of being something embarrassing and horrible, it is good luck and a blessing from the heavens. I choose to believe the latter for me, too.

Bryan would look at me and quote or paraphrase a favorite line from that movie more than occasionally: “Unthinkably good things can happen, even late in the game. It’s such a surprise.”

Good things can still happen. Even late in the game.