After Old Fuses Blew, Took a Walk

I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in. ~John Muir

Hard to find professional electrical help
living here in a small California town.
But with my aging 30 amp fuse blown
I desperately kept searching until finally
a qualified pair with repair experience returned my call.

“Wowza,” said one, “haven’t seen a 1950’s fused circuit breaker panel in ages.
Lucky the house hasn’t burned down yet with that old, frayed un-grounded wiring.
We better do a few tests to isolate the problem before trying to fix anything.”
“When you realize what’s going on inside here you’ll be shocked”, I said.

“We are gonna go out now for a walk to reflect on your blown fuse.”
“I’m happy to go along and answer any questions that come up.”
While walking I mentioned my life’s overblown ups & downs.
Listening intently, they gently prodded to just keep walking.

“Notice your feet touching the earth, isn’t it amazing”, asked one.
“Breathe in the sky, trees, and any other perceptions”, said the other.
“Can you understand the miracle of being here, right here
on this beautiful path, is nothing more or less than a miracle?”

Their words were calming, but I burst out, “how can I be all peaceful
with globalization, injustice, starvation & drought?”
“These are sad realities, yet it’s possible to experience real, joyful steps
being in the here & now, even with painful feelings & thoughts all around.”
“Haven’t you heard about the election, do you realize what this could mean?”, said I.
“We haven’t paid it much attention & can’t offer an opinion on that or many other things.”
Really?, I said.

When we calmly returned home the fuse had repaired, somehow, miraculously.
Even the smoky burned marks on the panel & wall were clean.
“This walk really was a miracle I told the workers, how can I ever repay you?”
“Remember to go out walking quietly with us daily,
and bring along several oven-baked biscuits!”

Journey of a Thousand Miles
Begins with a Single Step ~Confucius