One of my favorite movies is "Hope Floats" starring Sandra Bullock and Gena Rowlands. It is about a daughter (Sandra) returning home to live with her somewhat zany mother (Gena).
There is a scene in that movie in which Gena Rowlands is up early in the morning, down in the creek feeding the ducks. Her dogs are barking and chasing the birds. The ducks are squawking and flapping their wings, rising up out of the water. The sun is turning the spray of water to geysers of sparkling diamonds. And Gena Rowlands is right smack dab in the midst of it all in her overalls and hip waders, tossing out more food, feeding the frenzy.
I so much wanted to be her, caught in that maelstrom, but at that time in my life, that early morning unbridled joy, those sun diamonds, were as unreachable as the moon and the stars.
All I could do is watch in wander that such moments existed.
This week I am at our little house in Dzilam de Bravo. My friend, Linda, left yesterday to go back to Canada for a month and I am watching the brood of ragtag dogs that she has collected through the years. Twinky, Holbox, Bebe, Sparky and Toby have all found their way to her after being abandoned by their former owners.
This morning I am up with the sun. I gather my motley crew and herd them out the gate. When we reach the stretch of road past the last house along the sea wall, I slip the leashes off. There they go.
Unbridled Joy.
Toby bounds the seawall to chase the pelicans drying their wings on the rocks and the water sprays sun diamonds.
I made it.
I am the crazy dog woman I dreamed of being.
Hey, at least I'm not a crazy cat woman.
