SassyBlonde

Have you ever met a person who, you're certain from the moment you meet them, shapes the world as you know it? I don't mean like Bill Gates or Bono, "changing the world for the better". I mean someone who radiates such energy that you can almost see the world shifting around them in real time. Well, today I met one.

We went down to Morgan Creek Vineyards to pick some blueberries and taste their lovely (unfortunately only available in Alabama at the moment) muscadine and blueberry wines. We hopped out, bought our blueberry buckets, and picked until they were full. When we were done, we went in for the wine tasting and tour, and by the time we had tasted everything, my mom was deep in conversation with Ms. Margaret Roundtree, who had come down from South Carolina to prune the muscadines. She had the most beautiful Southern accent I've heard in a long time-- the clean and soft and unpretentious lilt of Old Carolina, and she had the most lively and engaging blue eyes I think I've ever seen. She was easily my grandparents; age, but while we were there I'm pretty sure she mowed the entire vineyard in her work shorts and boots. Spry doesn't even begin to describe her.

Ms. Roundtree is the aunt of the winery owners, who have had a really tough year this year: a death in the family and other health problems, and she's hung around to help out until things settle down a little. She told us the story of the death of her niece this spring from cancer, through which radiated her unshakable faith and wonder at life. Her obvious love for her family was a tangible thing, as was her powerful life force, and I left feeling a sense of awe at the magnitude of the soul I'd just encountered.

In the few minutes of conversation with this wonderful lady, I experienced a hopefulness and enthusiasm I haven't felt for a long time. The Christian tradition calls them angels in disguise, Diane Duane calls them the Powers That Be in human form, and whatever she was she was a person that I can honestly say I hope to meet again and will never forget.