Fences & Gates

I’ve long wondered about fences. Are they installed to keep the world out or to keep one’s small world in? Either way it doesn’t always work. I remember my two-year-old climbing the 5-foot cyclone fence circling our yard. It was meant to protect the kids from the busy street in front of our house until they were of an age. Didn’t work. He could care less about crossing the street. He just wanted to run after his two older brothers so he could be part of the clan.

It wasn’t always good at keeping out the undesirables either. Rabbits managed to sneak in to feast on my small garden. Boys in the neighborhood leaped the fence when they saw we had a swimming pool. It was only 3 ft. deep but they didn’t care. It was water to sit and play in.

Gates in paintings also intrigue me. It’s usually difficult to tell if they are open to welcome me home or are they inviting me to take the path that leads into the world, excitement, wonder and learning. H-m-m-m.