I'm a believer

I believe I witnessed a bona fide miracle today. Maybe two.

The traffic lights near the campus where I teach weren't working, and I had to pass through three intersections under the dark and useless things as they swung gently in the gale force winds we've been experiencing of late. These weren't just any intersections; all three involved streets with five lanes of traffic, and two were at the entrance and exit ramps of I-5. Did I mention I had to make left turns at two of them? There were no cops to direct the traffic - NO REGULATING AUTHORITY FIGURES OF ANY KIND! - and yet I was able to sail through unscathed, because each driver, upon pulling up to the intersection, waited patiently for his or her turn to go, as if this exercise were no more complicated than negotiating a neighborhood four-way stop.

I can think of no explanation other than divine intervention that could have caused all these people in cars to act with such harmony in the communal interest. Or maybe folks out here are just laid back to the point of weirdness.

All this happened under clear blue skies, which brings me to the second miracle. The sun has been shining here for days, and it's glorious. There hasn't been a cloud in sight, and flowers are popping up everywhere. Or maybe they've been there all along, and I just haven't noticed as I walk by with my head down to keep the rain out of my eyes. Whatever - yesterday, I put The Boy on my bike and as we rode to the park we passed a stretch along the path that was carpeted in purple crocuses.

Glorious.