THERE'S A DIVINE PURPOSE TO POTHOLES

Mr. Mayor, every spring you get no respect. Why? All these potholes...!

But you and your potholes are getting a bad rap. You'd almost think they had no grand, divine purpose in our life. But you and I know they do. Every ugly one of them is communicating a beautiful message. We simply have to listen for it.

Engineers may tell us potholes come from shifting weather. Republicans may say they come from shifty liberals. Democrats may insist they come from shiftless conservatives. But there are those of us who just know they come from God. Or, if you have a problem with that, from cosmic Evolution.

Here's our spring-tested logic. Potholes make us mad...that makes us realize things have to be maintained.... that makes us pay more attention to life's maintainers. Not just street crews, but cops, firefighters, power-line climbers, flood-control teams, ER staffers. Think about it -- when you need them, are there any more beautiful people in the whole wide the world?

And the beat goes on, because life's maintainers also include stay-at-home moms, crossing guards, mail carriers, dog-walkers, meals-on-wheelers, baby sitters, and oh yes grandparents. Without these quiet armies, the planet would spin a lot less efficiently.

So to all my disgruntled fellow-commuters, think of it this way. The next pothole you hit is actually the thud your memory needs to remember all those under-appreciated maintainers who help make it possible for you and me to be -- well, to be you and me!