Whiling and Watching

I was on a bit of a long drive recently, ready to take a brief stretch break, when I drove past a large white farmhouse with a wraparound porch.  The front of the house was positioned pleasantly under the shade of mature trees. It had a spectacular view of a large lake in the distance.  For a split second, I could see myself sitting on that porch, whiling away the hours reading, napping and enjoying the view of that sparkling lake.  I spent the rest of my ride thinking about front porches and what they must have meant to neighborhoods in the past.  Front porches were places to gather, places to watch the world go by, places to catch a cool breeze on a hot summer day, places to connect with the world outside of our homes.  I've never lived anywhere with a front porch, but if I had, I would have wanted to spend a lot of time out there, whiling and watching.  What better place to be on a summer day?