alive!

I don't think it's me. We may be passionate about politics or sports or NASCAR, but when we ask ourselves what really matters in our wooly-sized worlds...

It's coming up on three years since Rich's surgery. I remember the day after, awake for most of the previous 48 hours, happily stumbling into my favorite NYC pastry shop. Most tables are filled, people absorbed in their cafe au laits, newspapers, laptops.

In front of me is a gaunt young man in black.

"Two coffees, large," he says.

"A long night?" I cheerfully ask.

"Bush won."

Oh, right. Yesterday was the presidential election, and I suppose the absentee ballots Rich and I filled out in October didn't make the difference.

But, I want to shout: Who cares if my candidate lost? My guy won! He is alive! Why isn't everyone celebrating?

Perhaps because my world is so small. Or maybe just the right size.

Candace