As our faithful readers know, on Fridays, we usually participate in Skywatch Friday, showing you a little slice of the sky above Greensboro. This week, we share a sight that has been fairly typical this spring. To the north, you see a dark, foreboding sky. To the east, and off on the horizon, you see the sky breaking open with sunny, blue and white warmth. Cold/warm, wet/dry, destructive winds/calm air; Just when you think you can put your wool sweaters away, you need to dig them back out. Just when you think the April showers are behind you, you need your umbrella.

Spring 2011 in Greensboro has been characterized by weather extremes.  The Chinese explain this with yin/yang, asserting the polar and opposite forces in nature are interconnected, giving rise to each other. The dichotomy is not as much good and bad as it is a balanced, mutual whole. The plant grows so that it can bloom and produce and then it falls to the earth awaiting a new cycle. So, as we enter the weekend, regardless of the weather, ponder how it fits with the balanced whole. As for the yin/yang of daily living, life is usually easier towards the center of the continuum, as opposed to listing at one of the extremes. Here’s to a balanced, Mother’s Day Weekend, celebrating mom if she is living in the lower half of the photo and remembering her fondly if she has already drifted to the upper half.