Every spring should be like this: warm afternoons, cool nights, not much w*nd. (We can’t say it out loud here, it’s a superstition. If we say the word, it kicks up to about thirty-five miles an hour.)

A couple of days ago, we had a bonfire; yesterday, my throat hurt a bit. Smoke, I thought, but nowadays that question mark lingers around any and every symptom.

So, today, my gift to my community was that I didn’t go out in it. Instead I went for a long solo walk and enjoyed the sunshine without breathing on anyone.

This evening, I’m fine. But if I wasn’t, at least I would know that, to the best of my ability, I kept my neighbors safe.

Let this be the spring we are mindful of everything we give, and don’t give.