As I was driving, I noticed dark, brooding clouds headed my way. Seldom do I see ominous, dark clouds in Los Angeles. It was a change. I wasn't feeling too happy. I was remembering 9/11 three years ago and thinking about the people who were in my life then...how special they were and how they are not all here with me. The clouds symbolize death that hovers over us, the darkness and unknown, that inevitably come to claim our lives, whether we are ready for it or not.

The bird soaring high in the vast sky represents the joy of life. Its free flight reminds me of our freedom to think, create, worship, and live as we want. It is life itself.