A Small Serendipity

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, savor you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it will not always be so." -- Mary Jean Irion

That was the writing prompt for my online writing group yesterday. "Go for 12 minutes," said the moderator. I was stopped by the name of the person to whom the quote was attributed. And then I wrote this ...

Mary Jean Irion – Gracious, soft spoken, beautiful, well-coiffed hair, bearing that calm demeanor I so admire and aspire to. Our paths crossed at Alumni Hall at Chautauqua Institution. Institution is a hard, harsh word for this place, this Chautauqua – going by CHQ these days as a nod to the youngsters. A magical place for me, this little arts community I've visited so many times I cannot count, often dreaming of immersing myself full time there instead of just a week or a day in summertime. "That rare and perfect tomorrow."

Perhaps Mary Jean Irion wrote those words from the porch of "Fernwood," her cottage, one of the so-called historic cottages, in other hands these days.

Mary Jean welcomed writers to Chautauqua each year with Writer's Day, launched on a Sunday when admission to the gated grounds is free. My little writing group planned a day there – two carloads of us making our way through the foggy morning along the interstate that borders that long lake.

Somehow we all missed the weather forecast - those days before the Weather Channel or cell phone weather apps and it was cold with a stiff breeze coming off the lake.

We shivered through the morning offerings and at lunch, Mary Jean reappeared, her arms loaded with all matter of sweaters, sweatshirts and afghans to make our way more comfortable.