The woman with the book

   There is a woman that I see regularly while walking on the path encircling Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park. The course that she chooses is clockwise, opposite my direction, and she approaches at such a hurried pace, with head and shoulders leaning far enough forward, that it appears to me that she could at any moment fall flat on her face. It's as if the upper half of her body is exhorting the lower half to catch up.
   As far as I can recall, on every single occasion that I have seen this woman (which I believe is always on Saturdays and Sundays), she possesses two articles which I always recognize as hers; a gray sweatshirt with the words Michigan State printed on it, and a book being carried in her left hand. I know nothing about her except that she seems friendly enough, smiling at me each time that we pass.
   I didn't think too much about her ensemble the first few times I saw her, and quickly became so accustomed to it that it no longer struck me as unusual until perhaps a week ago, when something allowed me to be filled with wonder about this interesting character (and I mean character in the most loving way possible, as this word is often used with derision when describing people).
   I don't know what allowed me to see her in this way, in her uniqueness, but I got to thinking about these two pieces of her outfit, and many questions came to me. I wondered if it was always the same book that she carried, and whether it was or not, did she read it regularly? If she did, was it before or after her walk, or was she carrying it more as some kind of accessory, as I suspected? I also thought about that sweatshirt with the school name printed on it, and wondered what her relation to that institution was; student, teacher, or maybe just a Michigan native fondly remembering or proudly advertising her home state?
   In my mind, I have the belief that these two articles of clothing, which I have never seen her wear anything but, function as a kind of security blanket, a tradition which gives her comfort in the world. I certainly have my own, as I imagine most, or all of us do.
   The writing of this blog entry has taken a couple of days of unsteady work, and during the process, I could not conjure up anything else specific about her walking ensemble. There is something fascinating to me that I can so specifically remember certain things, yet be so seemingly blind to, and forgetful of others. Perhaps this woman with the sweatshirt and book uses those two things to keep in mind some of the things important to her.