I PUBLIUS: Even in bad weather, we are blessed to have Lake Mansfield
So when it rains, we all have to decide how to cope. A few days ago, I started my morning walk in a kind of fog. It was one of those days we are all too familiar with here in the Berkshires. We’ve all experienced them: moisture somehow gets into our clothes, from shoes and socks all the way to the top. No matter how prepared we think we are, we seem to feel cold and miserable for the rest of the day, even after drying off.
We certainly have a choice. We don’t really need to go out, but there’s something in our DNA that requires us to stick to a program if we’ve been dating regularly. I really don’t know why it works that way, but I guess we are creatures of habit. So I was in a downpour, wet, cold and uncomfortable. But once you start, there’s no turning back.
In Great Barrington, we are incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to enjoy Lake Mansfield Beach. There you can sit on a bench and gaze in fascination at the other side of the lake. If you focus hard enough, you can make out the trees and bushes on the other side. As I look across the lake, I think of all the people who came before me and imagine what they saw as they sat and looked in the same direction. We all know that where we search there live bears and foxes and all nature of creatures.
Years ago, my niece Andrea got married in Slovenia on Lake Bled. Every time I look at our beautiful Lake Mansfield, I think of Lake Bled. Of course, this happens to all of us: we associate memories with what we see in real time. This is how I see Lake Bled in Slovenia when I look at Lake Mansfield. I’m certainly willing to bet that every single person reading this right now knows exactly what I mean. What exactly do you see and remember when you look at our little lake?
Our beautiful lake is full of creatures. Not only are there fish, but also different species of turtles and frogs. In addition, there are all kinds of floating flotsam and jetsam. Unfortunately, some floating objects can be dangerous if you become entangled in them. I like to sit by the lake and admire the costumes of people who go swimming even in the worst weather. You really have to admire the fortitude of the people who are willing to challenge the lake. On Fire Island we had something called “The Cove” where people would break in and be careful not to step on something that would cut them. There are days when our Lake Mansfield reminds me of Fire Island Cove. The water lapping at the shore and everything is so peaceful.
Think about how everything is connected. The lake is full of living creatures and surrounded by vegetation. Then there is the zoo, which consists of beautiful geese that make a wonderful sound as they follow each other, often in single file. If you are a turtle, what do you think when people swim past you? Every now and then I’ll see someone with a fishing rod who has cast a line into the lake. I often ask fishermen if they have ever caught anything and they almost always say yes. It seems clear to me that they believe my question is wrong, as if to say, “Sure, I catch things.”