second verse, same as the first?

Changes - I almost typed in ch-ch-changes, then realized I'd already had a title by that name (I think). I'm sitting here, having just ordered the vegetables for tonight's vegetarian stew (yum), am looking out the window at the severe thunderstorm that's blowing in from the southwest, wondering if there'll be hail or a tornado. I'm not ready for that yet - I still don't like lightning, but it doesn't render me comatose anymore (phew). What changes are in the air? Steve was different this weekend. I had no idea what permanent changes there would be in him after the convention, but I trusted they'd be positive, and trusted they'd be permanent. How was he different? Goofy, goofy, goofy. I haven't laughed that hard with he and Bill, well, ever. And it felt good, like cool moist air blowing across a hot dirt-caked land. I can almost see the seeds poking up out of the soil, can almost feel the fat rain falling on the dry ground. It's been so long. Bill noticed it, too, and asked Steve to help him get the shower started last night (doesn't happen very often). What's ahead? Gosh, I wish I knew. I wish I could wave that magic wand and see what's the "best" thing to do, what the end result is, how it will all end up, but I don't think that's possible anymore, because I think we're all making it up as we go, creating our end results - we're in charge. There's no magical anything out there that's poofing our best into reality. Every step we put on another shingle, or a shutter, or pick the carpet or paint color. We're in charge of building our own houses, and not because "they're" being mean to us, because then we get to decide how it's all going to come together, and isn't that a great idea? That we're not at the mercy of anything or anyone else, but we're grown up enough, spiritually, to be able to figure this stuff out, be empowered? While I'm still a little leery of the whole monumental task at hand (building a life), it's exciting, nonetheless, because, well, I've got some ideas. Here, let me tell you about them, then I want to hear about your ideas for your life. I know they're fabulous. Mine include a lot of warm oatmeal cookies.