April 21, 2026

Things That AI Cannot Do – #9 in a series

With its mighty battalion of gigabytes available to it at any given microsecond, it seems unlikely that AI will ever be lost for words.  But some days, for us humans struggling here on earth, there seems to be no words to describe the chaos and anxiety we are feeling.  Watching the dollar signs spin by at the gas pump and the shrinking number of items we are able to put in the grocery cart are just a couple of things that have us feeling worried.  And then there are those greater earthly concerns that keep us up at night.   

These are the first words I am able to write this spring.  There are lots of excuses to put things off for another day.  I have an inventory of them playing in my mind like a worn-out playlist; but, somehow, these times feel different.  We have been forced to put our own thoughts on pause while we watch the latest world crisis unfold. Are we at war today or are we not?  We are glued to our screens with varying degrees of panic and reassurance.  This all leads to a sense of uncertainty which cannot be healthy for the nervous system, never mind the planet.

I woke up to a crashing sound last week, and my first thought was it sounded like a bomb going off. For a few seconds there was a surreal feeling.  Then lightning lit up the darkened bedroom, reassuring it was just a spring thunderstorm.  The sound of rain was a welcoming one, and all was well.  Most Americans have never experienced what it feels like to wake up to the sound of bombs, and I hope we never do.  We are blessed in America to even be able to say these words.  And yet, for so many living in our world today, that unwelcome sound is all too familiar.

As the month of April unfolds, each day brings a new wonder to the garden. With the exception of a few warm days, it has generally been a chilly start to the spring season.  The sandy and rocky soil here in Freetown needs to be continually amended.  The array of compost piles sprinkled about the property are slowly but surely helping to build fertility.   The kale plants started from seed are hardening off outside.  This year I am growing lots of Red Russian and Blue Curled Kale.  It seems like a lot of work to get a plant from seed to freezer, but a steaming pot of kale soup on a winter’s day makes it all worthwhile. 

The daffodils finally decided to say hello to the world in their golden sunny way, and it is shaping up to be a great year for them.  I planted a new variety last Fall from Johnny’s called Cheerfulness, and it is living up to its name.  The peach trees have started blossoming into puffy clouds of pink. I don’t think there is anything more beautiful in this world than a peach tree in bloom.  There are five on the property here, though I did not plant any of them.  They arrived thanks to compost and chickens and God’s magic. 

Despite its many woes, this Earth is still a beautiful place.  The astronauts returning from their Moon voyage so thoughtfully reminded us that we are just one small planet floating in a very large dark sea of space.  We need each other more than we know.  As the spring unfolds, may this season work wonders on your soul.  May your jumbled thoughts become prayers of healing… for your soul and for those that you love … and maybe even for those that you don’t.