"It takes time," artist Georgia O'Keeffe wrote, "to see a flower, or to
make a friend." William John Fitzgerald might agree. This charming if
cliched ode to the simple life encourages its readers to get off the
treadmill, drop out of the rat race and take time to smell the roses.
Blessings are everywhere, Fitzgerald says, if you only know where to look,
and his somewhat rambling book contains reflections on the blessedness of
such diverse entities as atoms, sunrises and peregrine falcons. It also
includes "ponder questions," like "What kind of e-mail do I enjoy most?"
and poems like "Black Can Be Beautiful," a list of "black" things (like
loam) that are good, countering the association of black with evil (which
Fitzgerald appears to feel is the source of racism). Whether recounting
his recovery from clinical depression or telling tales of the positive
role which computer use can play in the lives of lonely senior citizens,
Fitzgerald manages to look on the bright side and count his blessings.
Though the message is simple, it's one we should all be happy to hear over
and over again.