Weaving Webs

I went to a celebration dinner party at my friend’s house.  It was so easy and wonderful.  Why don’t I do this more often?  Life should be a celebration daily, yet I get caught up in the details.  

Here’s to Jill and her wonderful friends.  All invited were from all aspects of her life and all got along so well.  Some only knew one or two of the others. Yet all were connected through Jill.  I felt as though I knew these friends forever.  It is interesting how we are connected to people we don’t even know through someone else.

The webs we weave can be wonderful webs of friendship.

New decades

Tomorrow I turn 60 - I think of this as the beginning of the last third of my life.  I’m kind of excited - it’s a whole new beginning.  I wonder if I’ll suddenly feel wise?  

Tine Bank

Rich or poor we all get the same days. Or, no matter how big the bank account, time is the same.

I was working at our plant in San Francisco.  Someone came in and was suggesting that I was getting rich.  I demurred and said that no, I wasn’t as rich as he was.  We were about to have a verbal throw down on who was “poorer” when I realized that this was silly and suggested that “rich or poor, we all get the same days.”  We both nervously smiled and he left.  

I am rich, but not in the pocketbook, I’m rich in coming to value the days and hours of life.   I’m rich in becoming aware that the relationships I populate my life with are the coin of wealth.  I’m rich in celebrating my blessings. 

New Year's Celebration

The new year always starts in September, for me.  Programed by school beginnings and birthdays, new years start in September - still and always.  The crisp edge to the air.  The new slant of the light.  There is a mystery of things to be.  There is the excitement of presents to be opened.  There is the joy of family gathered.  There is the promise of books to crack and lessons to learn.  

September is a big box of Crayola 64 crayons with a built-in sharpener.  So full.  So new.

Last Supper

I was half listening to a program and the speaker posed a question, “If you could select a last meal, what foods would you choose and what memories do those foods bring up?”

Before he posed the memory part of the question, I was amassing a feast of chocolate ice creme, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, milk for cookie dipping, and other treats.  Once the memory part of the feast was added, I immediately jumped to turkey drumsticks.  I was four years old and eating Thanksgiving dinner with my family.  The drumsticks were my personal portion of the turkey.  I had already eaten one.  Another large drumstick was sitting in solitary splendor on the side table.  I was looking at it with gustatory lust.  My aunt said, “You’ve eaten enough.  You can’t have that drumstick.”  

A contrary little thing, I wasn’t hungry.  I didn’t want to eat any more - I just wanted that drumstick and I didn’t want my aunt to tell me no.  I grabbed it and took a big bite.  I showed her!  Later that night, I got sick and threw up everything I’d eaten.  I was so ashamed of my greed and rebellion.

When asked for memorable food - my first memory always goes back to that turkey leg.  I am still trying to learn to be less contrary and greedy.  I don’t eat turkey legs anymore.

Lost Voice

There was a little girl who loved to dance and sing and shout.  She would dance her way around town and sing about all the joys and shout out to her friends.  

Bumpity bumpily bump bump about town she would go.  Fa la la, fa la la, fidgety fa la la la la she would sing to the sky.  

One day a new thing came.  It had fuzz between its toes.  It cried and everyone said shhhhhhhhhhhh, don’t upset the baby.

The little girl would dance and sing and the new thing would cry and the big ones would say shhhhhhh.  

bumpily bumpily bump - shhhhhhhh.

Fa la la, fa la la fidgety - shhhhhhhh.

When she asked them to return the shhhhhhh monster, the big ones laughed and said that “one day, she’ll be your best friend.” 

Be Nice, Be Kind

Today as I was walking, my mind was running a million miles through all the issues and problems in my little world.  I was trying on various solutions and resolutions.  I was setting limits and goals.  I was everywhere but on the road walking.  I was trying to figure out how to do my best.

“Be nice, be kind” my mom’s voice resonated in my head.  I always thought I was supposed to be nice and kind to everyone around me.  Today I realized I need to start closer to home.  I need to be nice and kind to myself.  By this, I don’t mean that I get to be greedy, hateful, and spoiled.  What I mean is that I need to accept myself, just as I am.  Awareness is dawning.  

 Penny - a beautiful apricot colored rose with wonderful fragrance

Pebble - the friendship of my neighbors to each other

Ponder - how can I stay mindful, how can I stay the course