I can scarcely wait till tomorrow
when a new life begins for me,
as it does each day,
as it does each day.

—Stanley Kunitz, from “The Round”

•••

I’m with you, Stanley,
eager for the next day to unfold

like one of those cootie-catchers,
as kids in my day called them—
a nifty bit of origami folded
from a single sheet of paper
into four pyramid-shaped parts
upheld by a child’s fingers.

A friend would come to you
with one and invite you to pick
a color on an outside flap, then
open and close it (usually to
a catchy rhyme), then peel open
a flap it to reveal an answer to
your question.

It resembled a do-it-yourself
Magic 8 Ball, with answers like:

• Yes
• Mostly likely
• Without a doubt
• Signs point to yes
• Ask again later
• Don’t count on it
• My sources say no

But Stanley, what if the little paper
fortune tellers offered sweeter
predictions? Like:

• You will find coins under
the couch cushions.
Or
• You have a secret admirer.
Or
• Ignore previous fortunes.

Let’s head into each tomorrow
wide-eyed and smiling.
Every day’s a new day, my late
best friend used to say,
her pep talks still ping-ponging
through me:

• Life is a balance of holding on
and letting go.
• You’re off to great places.
• Now it’s time to try something new.

And oh, yes, yes, yes:

• Even when life throws you a detour,
behold the scenery. Shift your outlook.
Enjoy the ride.

•••

“It’s the aluminum rule: Thou shalt enjoy the ride.” Thanks, Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours!