I woke up yesterday morning to a strong pain in my lower right back. Long story short, it was diagnosed as “right side flank pain – right 5mm obstructing stone in the ureter causing moderate hydroureter and hydronephrosis” AKA, kidney stone. I know, I know, this is TMI: too much information. Anyway, I’m feeling much better this morning and found the two items below inspiring a brief poem of my own that follows.

There are only two feelings.
Love and fear.
There are only two languages.
Love and fear.
There are only two activities.
Love and fear.
There are only two motives,
two procedures, two frameworks,
two results.
Love and fear.
Love and fear.

https://www.leunig.com.au/works/prayers

Chimpanzee smiling in Knoxville Zoo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smile#/media/File:Knoxville_zoo_-_chimpanzee_teeth.jpg

“Primatologist Signe Preuschoft traces the smile back over 30 million years of evolution to a “fear grin” stemming from monkeys and apes, who often used barely clenched teeth to portray to predators that they were harmless or to signal submission to more dominant group members. The smile may have evolved differently among species, especially among humans.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smile

Today’s brief poem: Smiling

I see you smiling but am not sure.

Are you happy or insecure?

Shall I respond, say “hello”

or simply nod and let you go?

May your day be well and kidney stone free 🙂