My Favorite Place by Lewis

I have several favorite places, as no one place seems to have everything I need or want to be happy all the time.


If I were to pick just one favorite place to spend a vacation away from home, it would likely be Ouray, CO.


If I were to pick just one favorite place to be when going from one favorite place to another, it would be my car, unless distances were sufficiently short, in which case, it would be in my walking shoes.


If I were to name my favorite place to spend the biggest chunk of my time, it would be my bed.


If I had to pick a favorite place to spend all of my time, it would be my body.


If I were to pick a favorite place to pass the time, it would be in the presence of friends or family.


I find that, at certain times of the day and night, my most favorite place by far is my bathroom. No other place will do at all.


But if I were to pick the place that most nurtures my inner Lewis, it would be my balcony. No, check that. It would be my "terrace". "Terrace" is defined as "a platform that extends out from a building". Somehow, "terrace" sounds like a much more romantic place for soul-searching than a "balcony". I'm sure that Juliet was courted by her Romeo while standing on a terrace. Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward starred in From the Terrace; The Balcony starred Peter Falk and Shelley Winters. See what I mean?


So, when I have breakfast, I take it on the terrace, weather permitting. The same for lunch and dinner. When I do the New York Times crossword--which is always a Monday--I do it on the terrace. When I undertake to decipher Laurin's journals, I find the fresh air and beautiful landscape help to keep my spirit more buoyant. Even the sound of neighbors' voices helps to keep me connected to all that is good in the world. When I write in my own journal, same place. When I take in a little sun--for very limited amounts of time--the terrace offers all the privacy I need. My garden, what there is of it--on the terrace. When I want to take in the sky, the scenery, the action on the street, nothing fills the bill like my terrace.


Out there, I am part of the world. I count. I feel connected. If I don't want to connect, I can leave the cordless and cell phones inside. Smells, tastes, sounds are more vivid. I can even hide when that feels right. Even oblivion is within easy reach--if I had the inclination and weren't such a coward.


Oh, in case you're curious, I did not type this while sitting on the terrace. I was late getting to it and had not the time to daydream.


Lewis, July 15, 2013

About the Author

I came to the beautiful state of Colorado out of my native Kansas by way of Michigan, the state where I married and I came to the beautiful state of Colorado out of my native Kansas by way of Michigan, the state where I married and had two children while working as an engineer for the Ford Motor Company. I was married to a wonderful woman for 26 happy years and suddenly realized that life was passing me by. I figured that I should make a change, as our offspring were basically on their own and I wasn't getting any younger. Luckily, a very attractive and personable man just happened to be crossing my path at that time, so the change-over was both fortuitous and smooth. Soon after, I retired and we moved to Denver, my husband's home town. He passed away after 13 blissful years together in October of 2012. I am left to find a new path to fulfillment. One possibility is through writing. Thank goodness, the SAGE Creative Writing Group was there to light the way.