CMP Review 2026-06-29

June 29, 2026

This is the time of year when the spiderworts bloom, and I know of a place where I can find them. I visit that place in all seasons, but it is only in the summer that it greets me with these blossoms.

Why do I like the spiderwort so much? I could talk about its color, its radiance, its distinctive, grass-like leaves. I could take about its sharp angles and shapes that strike me as bold and strong.

But one could also ask why I like my friends so much. Certainly it has something to do with their qualities. But is it strictly based on merit? Are my friends objectively better than other people? Can my admiration be reduced to a mathematical equation?

Years ago I was introduced to the spiderwort. A naturalist took the time to describe its features to me when I was out on a walk. That was the beginning of a relationship.

Sure, you can find a prettier flower than the spiderwort. Sure, you can find better people than my friends. But both are precious to me because of relationship. And that’s something neither flower nor person can earn.

@artmiddlekauff