As I write this, I’m staring at a setting not unlike this week’s prompt. I’m visiting family and reveling in reuniting with the people I love so much. Outside, barefoot and in shorts, the snow on distant peaks reaches up to touch a sky that’s bluer than blue. There are cattle nearby; I can hear them. A lone electrician’s truck rumbles on the gravel road and turns the other way, off to some unseen customer. My daughter’s Saint Bernards, who could be mistaken for small bears in the right light, let me know that this is their house, and that they take protecting her seriously. Their tails still wag for me. This all feels very far away from deadly viruses, angry politics, and the endless spreadsheets that govern my 9 to 5. Oh, and the stars at night?  Big sky country indeed. God’s country indeed.

I know this is a place for flash FICTION and this is a personal essay.  I could change the names to protect the innocent, but somehow describing two corgis instead of furry slobber-guardian hounds doesn’t paint the same quiet serenity.

It’s important to not always be thinking about plot twists and word limits; sometimes you need to stop and enjoy what’s around you. So please take a moment and look at the beautiful picture chosen for us. Relax, take off your shoes, close your eyes, and just breathe.

Just for this week, we’ll all ignore the serial killer opening the door. 😉