One morning early this year, Tom awoke and said, “Let’s go to Europe!” I had pretty much given up the idea of a trip to Europe, so this was a surprise, to put it mildly! Since Tom had never been overseas, I left it up to him to decide where he’d like to go. He chose a river tour that began in Amsterdam, cruised the Rhine, Mosel and Danube Rivers, and ended in Vienna, with the majority of the trip passing through Germany.
We had a glorious 16-day trip, stopping every day to tour a different town or city. Quite honestly, I had never had a big yearning to go to Germany. I’m probably 50% German, but I had long condemned the German people for their acquiescence to Hitler’s Holocaust. This trip was a healing one for me. Most of the Germans we met and talked with were of one mind. They uniformly stated that the era of the Third Reich was their darkest hour in history, and they all agreed that the German people must look at that period and expose it to the world community, and never let it happen again.
Acknowledging that the citizens of the United States (that includes me) had allowed our country to invade the sovereign nation of Iraq, with the resulting deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi citizens, I knew that we are no better than the Germans. Thus, our German tour became for me a time of forgiveness, both of the Germans and of my fellow countrymen.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
AMAZING GRACE!
This is a song of gratefulness! You who have children have known times of pain, I’m certain, as well as the moments of pure joy that your children have laid at the doorstep of your heart. Today is Mother’s Day, and now is the time to savor the loving moments, to lay to rest those times when the pain has been so raw, so deep, you thought you would not survive.
But yes, today I feel only the glorious love that I have for my sons, and I am luxuriating in their love for me. We spent a couple of hours over lunch, just us three, sharing Himalayan dishes as well as stories of our lives. My sons are like most young men, I suspect: it is rare they give up the secrets of their hearts to anyone, much less their mothers. But today they were at ease as we ate, and they talked of their children, books they’re reading, trips they’ve taken recently for pleasure, and business trips they’ll embark upon in the next 24 hours.
Then it came time to open my gifts (as if my time with them weren’t gift enough!). First I opened Mike’s card, and the sentiment on the front pierced my heart straightaway. But when I read what he had written inside, the tears welled up in my eyes.
" As I lay down roots for my family
and try to instill in them the core
values I hold dear, it makes me
appreciate the foundation that was
built for me…and even more so
who is behind that.
Thank you for being my mom, and
for all you’ve done and still do!
With love,
Mike"
There are fleeting moments when you feel the hand of God touch you, when you know a part of you will never die, when love overflows in your heart and you know that this love will live forever. This was such a moment, and I am still dwelling inside that feeling as I write this.
Doug’s gift was the sweet necklace you see here, so delicate, my initial in gold, and I put it on immediately.
My heart is so full! This is such a sweet and grace-filled moment! May your hearts also be transformed today, as your families honor you and all you have done for them!
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
But yes, today I feel only the glorious love that I have for my sons, and I am luxuriating in their love for me. We spent a couple of hours over lunch, just us three, sharing Himalayan dishes as well as stories of our lives. My sons are like most young men, I suspect: it is rare they give up the secrets of their hearts to anyone, much less their mothers. But today they were at ease as we ate, and they talked of their children, books they’re reading, trips they’ve taken recently for pleasure, and business trips they’ll embark upon in the next 24 hours.
Then it came time to open my gifts (as if my time with them weren’t gift enough!). First I opened Mike’s card, and the sentiment on the front pierced my heart straightaway. But when I read what he had written inside, the tears welled up in my eyes.
" As I lay down roots for my family
and try to instill in them the core
values I hold dear, it makes me
appreciate the foundation that was
built for me…and even more so
who is behind that.
Thank you for being my mom, and
for all you’ve done and still do!
With love,
Mike"
There are fleeting moments when you feel the hand of God touch you, when you know a part of you will never die, when love overflows in your heart and you know that this love will live forever. This was such a moment, and I am still dwelling inside that feeling as I write this.
Doug’s gift was the sweet necklace you see here, so delicate, my initial in gold, and I put it on immediately.
My heart is so full! This is such a sweet and grace-filled moment! May your hearts also be transformed today, as your families honor you and all you have done for them!
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
OLD THINGS
While cooking pasta recently, I took down from a high shelf this bent and tarnished colander. When my mother-in-law died six years ago, my husband and I went through her many possessions, giving some away to family and friends, tossing others, and keeping some things for ourselves. One of the items that seemed to speak to me was this colander, so I took it home.
I already had a shiny, new colander that was twice its size. Why did I decide to keep this worn one? Perhaps my mother had one just like it when I was growing up, and it subconsciously brought warm memories of home-cooked meals with my parents and three sisters.
I suspect this old thing possesses character, unlike the bright new one. It’s seen countless years of use, and would have tales to tell, if it could speak.
One of the lessons I learned on my Vision Quest in 2000 was that all things possess the Spirit. The only reason that molecules bind together and form objects is because they are directed by an Unseen Hand. This lowly colander has Spirit, just as I do. I respect that.
In addition, though, the very qualities of age, the tarnished metal, and the warped shape all seem to me to be beautiful. I, too, am worn. My hair no longer gleams with warm shades of honey. The sleek shape I was so proud of for many years is now a thing of the past. And yet, am I not still beautiful in a way that reflects inner character? I like to think that is true.
Admiring my old colander and loving it for its age and worn beauty, is a metaphor for loving myself as I grow older. Just as I appreciate the colander for its character, its years of service, and its tarnished beauty, so too I am grateful for this body that has served me well, and for my open and growing spirit.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Resurrection
(If you are reading this by way of an email notification, it is rather lengthy. You may prefer reading it on my blog: www.mary-alongtheway.blogspot.com).
How very appropriate, given this is Easter weekend: I feel viscerally that I have been given my life back.
Recently after a routine mammogram, I was called back for a second exam: the radiologist had seen a suspicious spot. That’s never happened before, and I’ve never had a foreboding that cancer was in my future, although I understand that I am as vulnerable as anyone else. One or the other will get us all in the end (cancer or heart problems), unless an accident intervenes. I’m far from “doom-and-gloom” about this, as we all have a one-way ticket in this miracle we call Life.
After viewing the second mammogram, the radiologist recommended a needle biopsy to determine whether the spot/calcifications were malignant. From the moment I received the call to repeat the mammogram until this morning nine days later, I have experienced a wide range of feelings, thoughts and emotions. Certainly I prayed there was no malignancy. But I also realized that I have had an exceedingly good life. I didn’t wonder “Why me?” when I have been so richly blessed with my oh-so supportive husband and partner, a loving family, a wealth of true friends, and comparatively good health all these years. It is a tragedy when a young person succumbs to cancer, yes. Even though I’m not young, the onset of cancer would be devastating. I dreaded the treatments, the doctors’ appointments, the surgeries, and so on. Oh, how I dreaded it!
These nine days have been a suspenseful time, during which I prayed and centered myself through meditation. I did not anticipate bad news, but I needed to prepare myself emotionally for the possibility.
This morning I received the very good news that the calcifications are benign, which I had been told is usually the case, and I wept with the relief of it all.
May I tell you about the gifts I received from this experience? Foremost is a renewed gratitude for Tom’s presence at my side, through the good times and the hard times. He never wavers. Tom took off work to accompany me to the hospital for the needle biopsy. For a day afterwards, I felt cherished and cared for (but then Tom always makes me feel that way!), as he cooked the meals and reminded me to take it easy, do no lifting, and simply rest. Some people live their entire lives never being cherished and loved! I thought about what it would be like to go through the challenges that accompany growing older, without the unconditional love and support that Tom gives me. It would be a hell, and I am reminded once more that Tom is a grace in my life that is a gift and a blessing beyond my comprehension.
A second gift arose from this health scare, and that is the love I felt from my two sons. Parents who have not experienced the trauma of divorce and the shattering of their family often give (and receive) love from their offspring without a second thought. It’s different for those of us who are divorced, however. There is a kind of tentativeness in our relationships with our kids, because there has been a lot of pain on all sides. My gift was that my sons responded to this situation with complete support and love for me. Their relief when I told them the good news of non-malignancy was palpable. I was brought up short by how they each expressed their love and thankfulness that I had received good news. This was a gift of their unconditional love, and I melted at the fierceness of that love, which overcame all the pain of the divorce years.
I did receive one final gift. We who have been brought up with a belief in God have been taught that God is always present to us. We have that knowledge in our heads, but rarely does it move the short distance from our heads to our hearts. For a brief time as I prayed, meditated, and awaited the results of the biopsy, I experienced in my being the feeling of being completely held and cherished by God (or by the Universe or the Presence), and that I could relax into those “Arms of Love”. I didn’t need to plan or do anything, as the knowledge of what to do would be given to me in each given moment. Whether cancer was found or not, I was at peace, because I knew I was one with God, or the Presence. Nothing separates me from the Divine!
I wish I could tell you that I have sustained that “felt” sense of the Divine’s presence. I do get brief moments when I feel it again. But mostly the awareness is in my head, rather than in my heart. I’m grateful to have felt it at all though, and I know that if I am patient and persistent, it will come to me more and more over time.
I would like to end this by quoting Deepak Chopra from his book, "The Third Jesus":
“Spirit grows spontaneously, in its own time.
Have patience, and persist.”
Happy Easter!
How very appropriate, given this is Easter weekend: I feel viscerally that I have been given my life back.
Recently after a routine mammogram, I was called back for a second exam: the radiologist had seen a suspicious spot. That’s never happened before, and I’ve never had a foreboding that cancer was in my future, although I understand that I am as vulnerable as anyone else. One or the other will get us all in the end (cancer or heart problems), unless an accident intervenes. I’m far from “doom-and-gloom” about this, as we all have a one-way ticket in this miracle we call Life.
After viewing the second mammogram, the radiologist recommended a needle biopsy to determine whether the spot/calcifications were malignant. From the moment I received the call to repeat the mammogram until this morning nine days later, I have experienced a wide range of feelings, thoughts and emotions. Certainly I prayed there was no malignancy. But I also realized that I have had an exceedingly good life. I didn’t wonder “Why me?” when I have been so richly blessed with my oh-so supportive husband and partner, a loving family, a wealth of true friends, and comparatively good health all these years. It is a tragedy when a young person succumbs to cancer, yes. Even though I’m not young, the onset of cancer would be devastating. I dreaded the treatments, the doctors’ appointments, the surgeries, and so on. Oh, how I dreaded it!
These nine days have been a suspenseful time, during which I prayed and centered myself through meditation. I did not anticipate bad news, but I needed to prepare myself emotionally for the possibility.
This morning I received the very good news that the calcifications are benign, which I had been told is usually the case, and I wept with the relief of it all.
May I tell you about the gifts I received from this experience? Foremost is a renewed gratitude for Tom’s presence at my side, through the good times and the hard times. He never wavers. Tom took off work to accompany me to the hospital for the needle biopsy. For a day afterwards, I felt cherished and cared for (but then Tom always makes me feel that way!), as he cooked the meals and reminded me to take it easy, do no lifting, and simply rest. Some people live their entire lives never being cherished and loved! I thought about what it would be like to go through the challenges that accompany growing older, without the unconditional love and support that Tom gives me. It would be a hell, and I am reminded once more that Tom is a grace in my life that is a gift and a blessing beyond my comprehension.
A second gift arose from this health scare, and that is the love I felt from my two sons. Parents who have not experienced the trauma of divorce and the shattering of their family often give (and receive) love from their offspring without a second thought. It’s different for those of us who are divorced, however. There is a kind of tentativeness in our relationships with our kids, because there has been a lot of pain on all sides. My gift was that my sons responded to this situation with complete support and love for me. Their relief when I told them the good news of non-malignancy was palpable. I was brought up short by how they each expressed their love and thankfulness that I had received good news. This was a gift of their unconditional love, and I melted at the fierceness of that love, which overcame all the pain of the divorce years.
I did receive one final gift. We who have been brought up with a belief in God have been taught that God is always present to us. We have that knowledge in our heads, but rarely does it move the short distance from our heads to our hearts. For a brief time as I prayed, meditated, and awaited the results of the biopsy, I experienced in my being the feeling of being completely held and cherished by God (or by the Universe or the Presence), and that I could relax into those “Arms of Love”. I didn’t need to plan or do anything, as the knowledge of what to do would be given to me in each given moment. Whether cancer was found or not, I was at peace, because I knew I was one with God, or the Presence. Nothing separates me from the Divine!
I wish I could tell you that I have sustained that “felt” sense of the Divine’s presence. I do get brief moments when I feel it again. But mostly the awareness is in my head, rather than in my heart. I’m grateful to have felt it at all though, and I know that if I am patient and persistent, it will come to me more and more over time.
I would like to end this by quoting Deepak Chopra from his book, "The Third Jesus":
“Spirit grows spontaneously, in its own time.
Have patience, and persist.”
Happy Easter!
Monday, March 22, 2010
What It Is
For a few years now, I’ve been adjusting my running and exercise around a pulled upper thigh muscle. After having an MRI and a consult with a neurosurgeon, it's been pretty much determined that nothing serious is going on. As the years pass, pulled muscles and aches and pains come more frequently. We all know this!
Two or three years into it, I’ve treated the condition with an anti-inflammatory, and toned down my exercise routine.
Recently, however, I was able to run for four days in a row, and I started believing that the muscle had mended itself! Wrong! Once again the pain returned, after being absent for several weeks. The worst part was the emotional letdown. Because I let myself, albeit cautiously, think the problem had finally been corrected, when it came back I was bitterly disappointed.
Of course I could stay in that place of feeling bad, but why would I want to do that? Instead, I’m moving into acceptance. This is my new normal! A modified workout is better than no workout at all! Now I believe that this pulled muscle is something I just have to learn to live with.
It is what it is.
Two or three years into it, I’ve treated the condition with an anti-inflammatory, and toned down my exercise routine.
Recently, however, I was able to run for four days in a row, and I started believing that the muscle had mended itself! Wrong! Once again the pain returned, after being absent for several weeks. The worst part was the emotional letdown. Because I let myself, albeit cautiously, think the problem had finally been corrected, when it came back I was bitterly disappointed.
Of course I could stay in that place of feeling bad, but why would I want to do that? Instead, I’m moving into acceptance. This is my new normal! A modified workout is better than no workout at all! Now I believe that this pulled muscle is something I just have to learn to live with.
It is what it is.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Just a Thought
There’s a room in our house that serves as my meditation room, and when needed, converts to a bedroom for our grandchildren. From where I sit in meditation, I can look out on our yard, where a huge old sycamore tree dwells majestically. I believe it was planted when our house was built sixty some-odd years ago.It occurred to me this morning as I looked out at the tree that each cell in our sycamore responds to the direction of the Creator. In the dead of winter its cells are active, doing whatever a tree does to keep itself healthy and alive. The bark looks dead, yet it too has cells that hold the Divine.
Musing on this, I thought how each cell in my own body responds to, and contains, the Divine, as does every person, plant and animal, in fact all things. We all share the Divine. This gave me a deeper sense of the relatedness of all that is.
As a child I pictured God as a kindly judge with a flowing white beard, residing somewhere in the sky where He looked down upon His creation. Substituting an image of the Creative Force, I pictured the Divine looking over all of creation and viewing it as One. I imagined this Mystery seeing the edges of the expanding Universe, and then focusing on the myriad galaxies. Moving closer, the Divine would see our own galaxy, our solar system, our sun, and finally our earth. From there the Creator would zero in on each individual human, plant, animal and object on our planet. From the macrocosm of the Universe, to the microcosm of each individual cell, atom and quark, the Divine breathes Life into it all. All of it is interrelated, all of it is One, all of it breathes in unison. Not just the ocean and I breathe as one (as I wrote and posted in a recent poem), but I breathe with the entire Universe!
What are YOUR thoughts on this? As much as I love putting my thoughts down, I very much enjoy hearing what YOU think.
May the peace of the Universe warm you and ground you this day!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Graced Moments
In my last post, I mentioned a friend who said that this decade, her sixties, is the happiest time of her life. We were sharing over tea, and I spoke to her of how I admired the strength she has shown in the five years or so that I've known her. She has faced the difficulties that she encountered during her life, which had left their mark on her in various ways. Since I’ve known her, I’ve seen her slowly emerge from a kind of cocoon, into the radiant being she is now. It’s been beautiful to watch!
My friend agreed that she’d gone through a lot of hard work to address the problems with professional help. But she also said that I had been a big part of her growth, that as her friend, I’d always listened deeply, without judgment or advice, simply being there, celebrating her just as she is, and supporting her throughout.
As she said these words, she was looking at me with such honesty, love and gratitude, that my insides simply melted. I felt the hand of the Divine upon my head, gently blessing me. For an instant, the veil that separates us from the Source Of All That Is Good was lifted, and we were wrapped in a moment of grace.
Each of you reading this has blessed me at some time, in that special heart-stopping way. You have made a difference in my life by sharing your unique self with me. As I think of you, I am remembering those special moments of grace, like pearls on a beloved necklace, and I know that I am a better person because you are in my life!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
My friend agreed that she’d gone through a lot of hard work to address the problems with professional help. But she also said that I had been a big part of her growth, that as her friend, I’d always listened deeply, without judgment or advice, simply being there, celebrating her just as she is, and supporting her throughout.
As she said these words, she was looking at me with such honesty, love and gratitude, that my insides simply melted. I felt the hand of the Divine upon my head, gently blessing me. For an instant, the veil that separates us from the Source Of All That Is Good was lifted, and we were wrapped in a moment of grace.
Each of you reading this has blessed me at some time, in that special heart-stopping way. You have made a difference in my life by sharing your unique self with me. As I think of you, I am remembering those special moments of grace, like pearls on a beloved necklace, and I know that I am a better person because you are in my life!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Seasons of My Life
No doubt lots of people prefer the Fall over any other time of the year, just as I do. Now that I'm in the autumn of my life--to quote Frank Sinatra-- I find that it has also become the favorite season of my life.
No one’s health will remain good forever, but while I do have good health, I’m free to enjoy the fruits of having lived a number of years on this planet.
Yesterday a friend told me this is the happiest she has ever been, and she is approaching 65! I reminded her that for years she has been working diligently on a number of “issues” in her life, and now she is able to enjoy the benefits of her hard work.
All of us are born into families and situations that affect who we are. “Issues” may be an overused word, but perhaps we can think of “issues” as comparable to the “Original Sin” of the Christian tradition. If we have the temperament to want to improve our character and grow (surprisingly, not all people are interested in that), we spend a fair amount of time and energy as adults working through our “issues”. It may take years of effort, but from personal experience I’ve seen that eventually you will emerge whole, and blossom into the person you are meant to be.
In 2001, a friend’s daughter jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge. She was 14 years old. I have often longed to have been able to talk with her in the days leading up to her death. I would have urged her to hold on just one more day--she might have felt differently the next day. If only she had talked to a wise older woman, who might have told her that Life has its seasons. Yes, there are really hard times. The growing up years hold their own fears and obstacles. The parenting year are challenging too, even while there is immense joy watching your children grow into responsible adults. But if you hang on, if you can just make it to the next day, you might feel a little more hopeful about life.
Many times I’ve expressed gratitude to be alive in my sixties, inasmuch as many of my contemporaries have passed on. I know only too well how fortunate I am that my health is still good. Now I am hyper-aware that time is a precious commodity. I see each breath as a blessing, each person in my family a gift, every friend a surprising joy. Life is incredibly beautiful at 67, and I never would have thought it would be so.
No one’s health will remain good forever, but while I do have good health, I’m free to enjoy the fruits of having lived a number of years on this planet.
Yesterday a friend told me this is the happiest she has ever been, and she is approaching 65! I reminded her that for years she has been working diligently on a number of “issues” in her life, and now she is able to enjoy the benefits of her hard work.
All of us are born into families and situations that affect who we are. “Issues” may be an overused word, but perhaps we can think of “issues” as comparable to the “Original Sin” of the Christian tradition. If we have the temperament to want to improve our character and grow (surprisingly, not all people are interested in that), we spend a fair amount of time and energy as adults working through our “issues”. It may take years of effort, but from personal experience I’ve seen that eventually you will emerge whole, and blossom into the person you are meant to be.
In 2001, a friend’s daughter jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge. She was 14 years old. I have often longed to have been able to talk with her in the days leading up to her death. I would have urged her to hold on just one more day--she might have felt differently the next day. If only she had talked to a wise older woman, who might have told her that Life has its seasons. Yes, there are really hard times. The growing up years hold their own fears and obstacles. The parenting year are challenging too, even while there is immense joy watching your children grow into responsible adults. But if you hang on, if you can just make it to the next day, you might feel a little more hopeful about life.
Many times I’ve expressed gratitude to be alive in my sixties, inasmuch as many of my contemporaries have passed on. I know only too well how fortunate I am that my health is still good. Now I am hyper-aware that time is a precious commodity. I see each breath as a blessing, each person in my family a gift, every friend a surprising joy. Life is incredibly beautiful at 67, and I never would have thought it would be so.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
It’s been on my mind to post an entry for days. But it’s been more a desire simply to keep up with the blog, and not really a story bubbling up inside, wanting to be written down. From the first, my blog has been a place to share with friends what is going on in my life, both the outer circumstances and the inner changes and awarenesses. I call it my journal. But I want to write when I am moved to do so, not simply to fill up a page.
January is a cold and silent month. We’ve taken down the holiday decorations, and the house and yard look a little barren and forlorn. We’re in the aftermath of the holiday season and the celebrations are over. Now it’s back to the mundane business of our everyday lives.
As dreary days of fog and rain pile up, one atop the other, I feel a familiar heaviness knocking on the door of my heart. But I’ve been here before. The winter months of dark skies and cold, wet weather want to drag me down. But in the morning as I meditate, the song of a bird lifts my spirits. It reminds me that spring and rebirth lay not too far in the future. There is no need to be fearful. Rather, I will sit awhile with the grayness, and give my body over to the slower pace of these winter months. Renewal is taking place all around me, and also within me, even though I may not see it. Can I generously open my heart to the dark, to the quiet, to the cold? I feel that I am beginning to do so, and in return I am being gifted with the peace that comes from acceptance. In trusting the season, fear ebbs from my heart and in its place, calm settles in.
All is as it is meant to be.
January is a cold and silent month. We’ve taken down the holiday decorations, and the house and yard look a little barren and forlorn. We’re in the aftermath of the holiday season and the celebrations are over. Now it’s back to the mundane business of our everyday lives.
As dreary days of fog and rain pile up, one atop the other, I feel a familiar heaviness knocking on the door of my heart. But I’ve been here before. The winter months of dark skies and cold, wet weather want to drag me down. But in the morning as I meditate, the song of a bird lifts my spirits. It reminds me that spring and rebirth lay not too far in the future. There is no need to be fearful. Rather, I will sit awhile with the grayness, and give my body over to the slower pace of these winter months. Renewal is taking place all around me, and also within me, even though I may not see it. Can I generously open my heart to the dark, to the quiet, to the cold? I feel that I am beginning to do so, and in return I am being gifted with the peace that comes from acceptance. In trusting the season, fear ebbs from my heart and in its place, calm settles in.
All is as it is meant to be.
Monday, December 21, 2009
“Christmas Vacation Part 2”
Did you see the hilarious movie “Christmas Vacation” years ago, with Chevy Chase? When the stress of the holidays begins to take its toll, rent the movie, pop some corn, grab a beer, and prepare for a lot of laughs! It’ll cure what ails you, I promise!
The Dixons are writing the sequel to that movie…look out, Hollywood! Last year we hired a tree expert to come out with his cherry-picker, and put the lights on the top of our 25-ft. blue spruce. It cost us $100, but we figured it was worth it, since it’s getting too dangerous for us to climb a ladder that high.
After the man left, my husband and I put lights around the rest of the tree and stood back to admire our efforts. It looked magical, and our neighborhood looks forward to seeing this tree light up every year. Two hours later though, the top lights all went out. The tree man came back the next day and changed the fuses on that section. He reconnected the lights, and voila! The entire tree lit up again…it was beautiful! The bad news is that the entire section went dark again after a few hours. My husband and I were quite frustrated, having spent good money for nothing. We ended up turning the tree off for the entire Christmas season.
Fast forward to this holiday season, and we again called the tree guy for help with the lights. (We made sure to buy all new lights this time!) Dave did a beautiful job, as did my husband. We ventured outside that night to bask in the beauty of the Christmas tree, and it really was glorious! There was just one tiny area where a strand of lights needed to be raised up just a little bit, to fill in a hole. My husband at first decided he’d deal with that the next day. However, a few hours later he was out in the yard with a ladder and a long pole, lifting that strand up. Well, the worst happened! Once again, just like last year, the whole upper section went out!
My husband has to be the most even-tempered person in the world. But he came stomping into the house, absolutely furious! He was mad at himself for fooling with the tree and not leaving well-enough alone. He used words I NEVER hear him use (I, unfortunately, use them a little more liberally!). I stayed out of his way, saying things like, “Yes, dear, I know how frustrated you must be!” Let me mention that I am “so over” that tree. It’s just gotten too big to decorate, and the hassle outweighs how pretty it looks when it’s all lit up. I thought that Tom might now reach that same conclusion. Either that, or a solution would come to him when he had calmed down.
The next day, Tom asked me, “Do you have an extension cord?” I burst out laughing, saying, “Chevy Chase has nothing on you!” The upshot is that we now have three electric cords going to the different sections of the monster tree, and the lights have now stayed on the entire time, even through a rainstorm, and also withstanding a grandson climbing around under the tree…gasp!
One more funny postscript to this story: The day after Tom successfully completed the lighting of our outdoor tree, we noticed a problem with the lights on our little artificial indoor tree. You guessed it! The top section went out! We’ve already added extra lights to other parts of this “pre-lit” tree over the years, and don’t want to add any more and overload the circuits. So we sit in our living room and admire our “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree, minus the lights on top!
They say there are no coincidences. So my question is this: what is the meaning of this situation, where first the lights kept going out on our outdoor tree. We finally got that fixed, only to have the lights go out on the top our indoor tree! If anyone has some thoughts on this, I’d love to hear them!
P.S.: I have fiddled with the settings on the “comment” section of this blog, in an effort to make it easier for someone to post a comment. Let me know if that’s made it simpler! Thanks, Mary
Did you see the hilarious movie “Christmas Vacation” years ago, with Chevy Chase? When the stress of the holidays begins to take its toll, rent the movie, pop some corn, grab a beer, and prepare for a lot of laughs! It’ll cure what ails you, I promise!
The Dixons are writing the sequel to that movie…look out, Hollywood! Last year we hired a tree expert to come out with his cherry-picker, and put the lights on the top of our 25-ft. blue spruce. It cost us $100, but we figured it was worth it, since it’s getting too dangerous for us to climb a ladder that high.
After the man left, my husband and I put lights around the rest of the tree and stood back to admire our efforts. It looked magical, and our neighborhood looks forward to seeing this tree light up every year. Two hours later though, the top lights all went out. The tree man came back the next day and changed the fuses on that section. He reconnected the lights, and voila! The entire tree lit up again…it was beautiful! The bad news is that the entire section went dark again after a few hours. My husband and I were quite frustrated, having spent good money for nothing. We ended up turning the tree off for the entire Christmas season.
Fast forward to this holiday season, and we again called the tree guy for help with the lights. (We made sure to buy all new lights this time!) Dave did a beautiful job, as did my husband. We ventured outside that night to bask in the beauty of the Christmas tree, and it really was glorious! There was just one tiny area where a strand of lights needed to be raised up just a little bit, to fill in a hole. My husband at first decided he’d deal with that the next day. However, a few hours later he was out in the yard with a ladder and a long pole, lifting that strand up. Well, the worst happened! Once again, just like last year, the whole upper section went out!
My husband has to be the most even-tempered person in the world. But he came stomping into the house, absolutely furious! He was mad at himself for fooling with the tree and not leaving well-enough alone. He used words I NEVER hear him use (I, unfortunately, use them a little more liberally!). I stayed out of his way, saying things like, “Yes, dear, I know how frustrated you must be!” Let me mention that I am “so over” that tree. It’s just gotten too big to decorate, and the hassle outweighs how pretty it looks when it’s all lit up. I thought that Tom might now reach that same conclusion. Either that, or a solution would come to him when he had calmed down.
The next day, Tom asked me, “Do you have an extension cord?” I burst out laughing, saying, “Chevy Chase has nothing on you!” The upshot is that we now have three electric cords going to the different sections of the monster tree, and the lights have now stayed on the entire time, even through a rainstorm, and also withstanding a grandson climbing around under the tree…gasp!
One more funny postscript to this story: The day after Tom successfully completed the lighting of our outdoor tree, we noticed a problem with the lights on our little artificial indoor tree. You guessed it! The top section went out! We’ve already added extra lights to other parts of this “pre-lit” tree over the years, and don’t want to add any more and overload the circuits. So we sit in our living room and admire our “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree, minus the lights on top!
They say there are no coincidences. So my question is this: what is the meaning of this situation, where first the lights kept going out on our outdoor tree. We finally got that fixed, only to have the lights go out on the top our indoor tree! If anyone has some thoughts on this, I’d love to hear them!
P.S.: I have fiddled with the settings on the “comment” section of this blog, in an effort to make it easier for someone to post a comment. Let me know if that’s made it simpler! Thanks, Mary
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Prayers Answered!
This past week has been a hectic one. As so often happens during the holiday season, several events fell within a short period. I don’t know about you, but during the rest of the year we can go for weeks with little on our calendar. But this week there were an over-abundance of engagements, plus things that had to be taken care of.
A Christmas dinner hosted by a colleague turned out to be a three-hour affair, when our host suggested we all try the “Tasting Menu”. There were many courses with small portions, and each course was presented with great ceremony, every dish described as to ingredients and preparation. By the fifth course, it was 10:30, and we still had several courses to go! Tom and I fell into bed at midnight, knowing the next day would be just as long.
The following evening was a joyful time, joining with two dear friends at Johnny Mathis’ glorious Christmas concert! But another midnight bedtime was difficult, with our schedule for the next several days so demanding.
The following day Tom was up at 4:30 AM, for a two-day medical seminar in San Francisco. I was concerned about the daily two-hour drive roundtrip, with insufficient sleep. My heart kept repeating, “May he be safe. May he be safe.”
In the midst of all this, we were on tap to have two of our grandkids sleep over. At the last minute, our daughter-in-law called to cancel, and we were actually grateful. There was so much on our plate that I had been praying for a break.
At the end of the seminar we were scheduled to drive two hundred miles up into the mountains, for our granddaughter’s birthday and her ballet recital. But it seems the Mystery hears the longing of our hearts and knows our needs, and answers in ways we could never imagine! A winter storm rolled in, with three to four feet of snow predicted and possible road closures.
This was to be a brief overnight trip, in order to be back in time for Tom to have his pacemaker replaced on Monday. But with the storm coming in, we couldn’t chance being stranded hundreds of miles from home. We had to cancel our visit.
The procedure Tom will have is fairly simple and commonplace, but as with any surgery, there is always the possibility of complications. It is important to be prepared with plenty of rest, and the way our week was jammed with days in the office, late nights, the seminar, the sleepover, and the 400 mile round-trip drive, it didn’t look as though Tom would be getting much rest. But with the canceling of the sleepover and the trip up the mountain, we now have a blessed Sunday that has turned into a real day of rest!
We are settling into the quiet and peace of our little home, with nothing to do from now until Monday morning! All our plans were sifted and shaken, and only a minimum remained, leaving us time to prepare for the surgery. Isn’t it amazing how everything fell into place? How could I forget that we are not really in control? There is a Presence, a Mystery which somehow holds tenderly both the smallest detail and the entire universe. It is so human to fret and to worry, yet that accomplishes not a whit. All that is needed is some planning, a little faith, and a lot of letting go!
This past week has been a hectic one. As so often happens during the holiday season, several events fell within a short period. I don’t know about you, but during the rest of the year we can go for weeks with little on our calendar. But this week there were an over-abundance of engagements, plus things that had to be taken care of.
A Christmas dinner hosted by a colleague turned out to be a three-hour affair, when our host suggested we all try the “Tasting Menu”. There were many courses with small portions, and each course was presented with great ceremony, every dish described as to ingredients and preparation. By the fifth course, it was 10:30, and we still had several courses to go! Tom and I fell into bed at midnight, knowing the next day would be just as long.
The following evening was a joyful time, joining with two dear friends at Johnny Mathis’ glorious Christmas concert! But another midnight bedtime was difficult, with our schedule for the next several days so demanding.
The following day Tom was up at 4:30 AM, for a two-day medical seminar in San Francisco. I was concerned about the daily two-hour drive roundtrip, with insufficient sleep. My heart kept repeating, “May he be safe. May he be safe.”
In the midst of all this, we were on tap to have two of our grandkids sleep over. At the last minute, our daughter-in-law called to cancel, and we were actually grateful. There was so much on our plate that I had been praying for a break.
At the end of the seminar we were scheduled to drive two hundred miles up into the mountains, for our granddaughter’s birthday and her ballet recital. But it seems the Mystery hears the longing of our hearts and knows our needs, and answers in ways we could never imagine! A winter storm rolled in, with three to four feet of snow predicted and possible road closures.
This was to be a brief overnight trip, in order to be back in time for Tom to have his pacemaker replaced on Monday. But with the storm coming in, we couldn’t chance being stranded hundreds of miles from home. We had to cancel our visit.
The procedure Tom will have is fairly simple and commonplace, but as with any surgery, there is always the possibility of complications. It is important to be prepared with plenty of rest, and the way our week was jammed with days in the office, late nights, the seminar, the sleepover, and the 400 mile round-trip drive, it didn’t look as though Tom would be getting much rest. But with the canceling of the sleepover and the trip up the mountain, we now have a blessed Sunday that has turned into a real day of rest!
We are settling into the quiet and peace of our little home, with nothing to do from now until Monday morning! All our plans were sifted and shaken, and only a minimum remained, leaving us time to prepare for the surgery. Isn’t it amazing how everything fell into place? How could I forget that we are not really in control? There is a Presence, a Mystery which somehow holds tenderly both the smallest detail and the entire universe. It is so human to fret and to worry, yet that accomplishes not a whit. All that is needed is some planning, a little faith, and a lot of letting go!
Monday, December 7, 2009
A Glass Half-Full
Do you enjoy reading stories about how someone came to a new understanding about Life, and how that new perspective changed the person in a positive way? I do.
Here is such a story. Winter has been a season I have resisted almost all my life. I have to admit I resented the cold. Because I re-located to “sunny California” for the much-touted warmth and sunshine, it came as a shock to discover the cold winters we experience up here in the northern part of the state. Living the myth of year-round summer-like days, I would dress in clothes too lightweight for the season. I recall one particularly frigid New Years’ Eve, when icy patches and bone-chilling fog made the roads hazardous. I shivered through the evening in a thin little party dress with spaghetti straps, my bare legs shaking in high-heeled sandals, and the rest of me protected from the freezing temperatures by only a light wrap. What exactly was I thinking??
Maybe I’m a slow learner, because it’s only been in recent years that I have given in and admitted it’s darn cold in these parts! Now I dress in layers, adding a sweater or fleece jacket even inside the house, when the temperature falls below my comfort zone. No more do I run around in thin little flat shoes. Instead I put on warm socks and lace-up boots, and forego the fashionable for the comfortable.
The amazing part of this is that I no longer resent the winters here! Facing the truth about our climate and dressing accordingly has kept me warm and enabled me to relax and enjoy the wintry days.
There is another aspect about winter that has always been very difficult for me, and that is the shorter days and long dark nights. Like many people, my emotions are affected by the weather and the seasons. The shorter days mean there is less time to accomplish the tasks I set for myself. Rushing through my work, I have not been very pleasant company, I’m sure. Resentment festered in me, not just about the cold temperatures, but also at the darkness, and the fewer hours to take care of all my chores.
For some reason however, this year is different for me, and it all has to do with “Light”. Many people in our society are preparing for Christmas, a time that celebrates the birth of the Christ, known also as “the Light of the World”. Others light candles in honor of Hanukkah, the “Festival of Lights”. All around, houses are festooned with lights and wreaths, while inside our homes, Christmas trees are laden with yet more lights, sparkling ornaments and tinsel.
Since time immemorial humans have anticipated the winter solstice, marking the return of the sun. I have found myself for the first time fully embracing the knowledge that around the 21st of December, the sun will reach its lowest point. From that moment on, we will gain precious moments of sunlight each day. This is what I mean by my “glass half-full”. Rather than focusing on how dark it is, my heart is joyful, because I know we are fast approaching the return of the sun! Knowing the Light will start returning in just two short weeks, I have come to terms with the shorter days and the long dark nights.
In accepting the fact that the days are shorter and there’s not much I can do to change it, I have also cut myself a little slack, as they say. I want to be kind to myself. I want to enjoy each moment, whatever it brings. I now make shorter “to-do” lists, and if I don’t finish my tasks, I’m okay adding my unfinished chores to tomorrow’s list.
Don’t you find Life just so interesting? What causes these sea-changes in our perspective? I suspect there are probably little baby-steps leading up to these more noticeable shifts, changes that are too small to notice. But the Grace of the Unknowable breaks into our lives when we least expect It, and suddenly we see the tangible results in how differently we are living our daily lives. Ah! That causes me to smile inwardly, and to be ever so grateful!
Here is such a story. Winter has been a season I have resisted almost all my life. I have to admit I resented the cold. Because I re-located to “sunny California” for the much-touted warmth and sunshine, it came as a shock to discover the cold winters we experience up here in the northern part of the state. Living the myth of year-round summer-like days, I would dress in clothes too lightweight for the season. I recall one particularly frigid New Years’ Eve, when icy patches and bone-chilling fog made the roads hazardous. I shivered through the evening in a thin little party dress with spaghetti straps, my bare legs shaking in high-heeled sandals, and the rest of me protected from the freezing temperatures by only a light wrap. What exactly was I thinking??
Maybe I’m a slow learner, because it’s only been in recent years that I have given in and admitted it’s darn cold in these parts! Now I dress in layers, adding a sweater or fleece jacket even inside the house, when the temperature falls below my comfort zone. No more do I run around in thin little flat shoes. Instead I put on warm socks and lace-up boots, and forego the fashionable for the comfortable.
The amazing part of this is that I no longer resent the winters here! Facing the truth about our climate and dressing accordingly has kept me warm and enabled me to relax and enjoy the wintry days.
There is another aspect about winter that has always been very difficult for me, and that is the shorter days and long dark nights. Like many people, my emotions are affected by the weather and the seasons. The shorter days mean there is less time to accomplish the tasks I set for myself. Rushing through my work, I have not been very pleasant company, I’m sure. Resentment festered in me, not just about the cold temperatures, but also at the darkness, and the fewer hours to take care of all my chores.
For some reason however, this year is different for me, and it all has to do with “Light”. Many people in our society are preparing for Christmas, a time that celebrates the birth of the Christ, known also as “the Light of the World”. Others light candles in honor of Hanukkah, the “Festival of Lights”. All around, houses are festooned with lights and wreaths, while inside our homes, Christmas trees are laden with yet more lights, sparkling ornaments and tinsel.
Since time immemorial humans have anticipated the winter solstice, marking the return of the sun. I have found myself for the first time fully embracing the knowledge that around the 21st of December, the sun will reach its lowest point. From that moment on, we will gain precious moments of sunlight each day. This is what I mean by my “glass half-full”. Rather than focusing on how dark it is, my heart is joyful, because I know we are fast approaching the return of the sun! Knowing the Light will start returning in just two short weeks, I have come to terms with the shorter days and the long dark nights.
In accepting the fact that the days are shorter and there’s not much I can do to change it, I have also cut myself a little slack, as they say. I want to be kind to myself. I want to enjoy each moment, whatever it brings. I now make shorter “to-do” lists, and if I don’t finish my tasks, I’m okay adding my unfinished chores to tomorrow’s list.
Don’t you find Life just so interesting? What causes these sea-changes in our perspective? I suspect there are probably little baby-steps leading up to these more noticeable shifts, changes that are too small to notice. But the Grace of the Unknowable breaks into our lives when we least expect It, and suddenly we see the tangible results in how differently we are living our daily lives. Ah! That causes me to smile inwardly, and to be ever so grateful!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
A Lesson Learned!
Is it really 2009? And already November? It seems as though time has taken on a different tempo, and the world is moving at a pace that confounds me. I want to give thanks, notice each moment, savor my friends, and hold my family close! None of us has forever, and I’ve already been blessed with a relatively long life, when others have been cut short. The Mystery knows Its plan, but I am in the dark. I seem to be hyper-aware of the brevity of life, and I want to be present and savor each moment, each event, and every person who graces my life.
What is the lesson I recently learned? When preparing to host a dinner in my home, it has been my habit to strive for perfection with just the right decorations, a pretty dinner table, good food and so on, to the point of obsession. I know I have lots of company in this regard! Of late, however, I have been unusually aware of how all my friends bless my life. For this dinner party, I wanted to move past the anxiety of hostessing, and simply enjoy my friends and savor our time together.
I do believe there is a Mystery, a Presence that knows our inner needs and desires, and when we are ready, will help us move in that direction. That is what happened! I finally (FINALLY), had a small group of friends over without worrying and obsessing over the food and how our house looked.
Along the way, I experienced one of those small 'aha's', as I began to understand my tendency to control and my need for perfection. I can still remember the moment years ago (I was perhaps twelve or thirteen), when I consciously made the decision to detach myself emotionally from my mother. It seemed to me it was impossible to confide in her safely and receive the guidance I needed, yet still retain my sense of who I was, and safeguard my right and need to grow into wholeness. Of course many other children feel this way, but in my life there was no other adult to take her place. The result was that I took on the role of parenting myself, which is an impossible task for a child that age.
Without the presence of a parent to hold a safety net beneath me, and to give me the sense that I was loved and supported, I developed the need to control my surroundings, in order to survive in a confusing and demanding world. Without knowing the feeling of being loved without conditions, I evolved as a person who lacks confidence, who needs to prove that I am loveable and worthy.
Again, I know I am not unique in this regard. There are many souls who share such insecurities. But I realize now with greater clarity, the “why” behind my striving for perfection and my need to control.
In my adulthood, I have been blessed with being loved unconditionally by my spouse. Some people live their entire lives without experiencing this kind of love. But now I know for the first time the security of being loved and supported, no matter what I do. Old habits are hard to let go of: I still struggle—obviously!—with perfectionism and I still try to control my surroundings. But now at least I sense the reason behind my behavior. Who knows? I may yet be able to move beyond these patterns!
What is the lesson I recently learned? When preparing to host a dinner in my home, it has been my habit to strive for perfection with just the right decorations, a pretty dinner table, good food and so on, to the point of obsession. I know I have lots of company in this regard! Of late, however, I have been unusually aware of how all my friends bless my life. For this dinner party, I wanted to move past the anxiety of hostessing, and simply enjoy my friends and savor our time together.
I do believe there is a Mystery, a Presence that knows our inner needs and desires, and when we are ready, will help us move in that direction. That is what happened! I finally (FINALLY), had a small group of friends over without worrying and obsessing over the food and how our house looked.
Along the way, I experienced one of those small 'aha's', as I began to understand my tendency to control and my need for perfection. I can still remember the moment years ago (I was perhaps twelve or thirteen), when I consciously made the decision to detach myself emotionally from my mother. It seemed to me it was impossible to confide in her safely and receive the guidance I needed, yet still retain my sense of who I was, and safeguard my right and need to grow into wholeness. Of course many other children feel this way, but in my life there was no other adult to take her place. The result was that I took on the role of parenting myself, which is an impossible task for a child that age.
Without the presence of a parent to hold a safety net beneath me, and to give me the sense that I was loved and supported, I developed the need to control my surroundings, in order to survive in a confusing and demanding world. Without knowing the feeling of being loved without conditions, I evolved as a person who lacks confidence, who needs to prove that I am loveable and worthy.
Again, I know I am not unique in this regard. There are many souls who share such insecurities. But I realize now with greater clarity, the “why” behind my striving for perfection and my need to control.
In my adulthood, I have been blessed with being loved unconditionally by my spouse. Some people live their entire lives without experiencing this kind of love. But now I know for the first time the security of being loved and supported, no matter what I do. Old habits are hard to let go of: I still struggle—obviously!—with perfectionism and I still try to control my surroundings. But now at least I sense the reason behind my behavior. Who knows? I may yet be able to move beyond these patterns!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Opening to the Wisdom
Of late my heart has opened to the wisdom of the older woman, and I recently I was blessed to meet two such women.
For perhaps several reasons, such a figure has not really been part of my world. One exception stands out, my grandmother, who was known to us children as Mimi. What I loved about Mimi was that she danced to her own tune. Early on I knew I didn't accept the prevailing conventions, an example being the superstition of hiding under a bed during a thunderstorm. In the forties and fifties, such behavior was prevalent. But Mimi lived life by her own terms, and that was how I wanted to live.
Divorce was not an option for Catholics in those days, not that it is in current times either. But Mimi, who had siblings who were priests and nuns, defied the taboo and got divorced. I refused to judge her, as the rest of the family did. She was a real "Auntie Mame" type, and I adored her.
But other than Mimi, I think I've been a bit too arrogant and independent to think someone might have a bit of wisdom for me, simply because they have had more years on this planet.
Enter a remarkable woman, a nun, into my heart and my life, a few weekends ago, leading a retreat that I attended. She seemed to me like a dearly loved aunt or sister. There is simply no artifice or pretense surrounding her. She loves telling stories, but in a homey sort of way. Gentleness and love flow through her, and I am warmed by her presence, which I still carry with me. There is no judgment present, only openness to the Spirit, and her wisdom has remained with me ever since that luminous weekend.
Two friends and I decided to meet for meditation (or prayer, or Lectio Divina, whatever we decided upon), after the retreat. One friend invited a longtime friend of hers (also a nun) to lead us for our first meeting. This nun has led a meditation community for 28 years. She turned out to be another wise, loving, open soul, who skillfully presided over our first meeting. She generously shared her time and experience with us, showing us ways to be together prayerfully, minus the superficial chat and busyness that are often part of such a meeting. Once again, the Spirit flowed amongst us, and we were suffused by the peace and joy of our time together.
So this Thanksgiving I will be holding in my heart two (only slightly older!) women who recently appeared in my life, imparting wisdom from their lives lived as seekers and pilgrims. I'm grateful my heart was opened, so that I can now hold tenderfully and gracefully, this unexpected and wondrous gift that the Beloved has bestowed upon me!
For perhaps several reasons, such a figure has not really been part of my world. One exception stands out, my grandmother, who was known to us children as Mimi. What I loved about Mimi was that she danced to her own tune. Early on I knew I didn't accept the prevailing conventions, an example being the superstition of hiding under a bed during a thunderstorm. In the forties and fifties, such behavior was prevalent. But Mimi lived life by her own terms, and that was how I wanted to live.
Divorce was not an option for Catholics in those days, not that it is in current times either. But Mimi, who had siblings who were priests and nuns, defied the taboo and got divorced. I refused to judge her, as the rest of the family did. She was a real "Auntie Mame" type, and I adored her.
But other than Mimi, I think I've been a bit too arrogant and independent to think someone might have a bit of wisdom for me, simply because they have had more years on this planet.
Enter a remarkable woman, a nun, into my heart and my life, a few weekends ago, leading a retreat that I attended. She seemed to me like a dearly loved aunt or sister. There is simply no artifice or pretense surrounding her. She loves telling stories, but in a homey sort of way. Gentleness and love flow through her, and I am warmed by her presence, which I still carry with me. There is no judgment present, only openness to the Spirit, and her wisdom has remained with me ever since that luminous weekend.
Two friends and I decided to meet for meditation (or prayer, or Lectio Divina, whatever we decided upon), after the retreat. One friend invited a longtime friend of hers (also a nun) to lead us for our first meeting. This nun has led a meditation community for 28 years. She turned out to be another wise, loving, open soul, who skillfully presided over our first meeting. She generously shared her time and experience with us, showing us ways to be together prayerfully, minus the superficial chat and busyness that are often part of such a meeting. Once again, the Spirit flowed amongst us, and we were suffused by the peace and joy of our time together.
So this Thanksgiving I will be holding in my heart two (only slightly older!) women who recently appeared in my life, imparting wisdom from their lives lived as seekers and pilgrims. I'm grateful my heart was opened, so that I can now hold tenderfully and gracefully, this unexpected and wondrous gift that the Beloved has bestowed upon me!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
A Surprise Visitor
Unbeknownst to us human residents, a critter moved in below in our crawlspace. Now we would hardly begrudge him (or her) a snug nesting place out of the elements. However! It seems we have recently detected the smell of decay under our bathtub. Ugghhhh!!!! Two visits from the exterminator later, we have found no carcass. Perhaps the creature crawled into an unreachable space, after consuming poison from a neighboring property. Ah!
Since I had plans for friends to meet here in a few days, plus a dinner party next weekend, I was none too pleased with having an odiferous home to greet them with. We were able to move the first meeting to one of our other members. But the dinner party is on.
It's a good group of longtime friends we've invited for dinner, and after sharing my predicament with a couple of them, they assured me there are worse things in life. They are happy to use the half-bath off the laundry room, which one friend suggested is far better than the nearest gas station. Another friend offered this good idea: hand out Vicks Vaporub at the door as they enter. A dab of that under their noses and they'll not smell anything else!
Thanks to my supportive friends and their unfailing humor, I'm slowly relaxing about the bad smell in the bathroom, and I'm even able to chuckle (a wee bit!) at it all!
Since I had plans for friends to meet here in a few days, plus a dinner party next weekend, I was none too pleased with having an odiferous home to greet them with. We were able to move the first meeting to one of our other members. But the dinner party is on.
It's a good group of longtime friends we've invited for dinner, and after sharing my predicament with a couple of them, they assured me there are worse things in life. They are happy to use the half-bath off the laundry room, which one friend suggested is far better than the nearest gas station. Another friend offered this good idea: hand out Vicks Vaporub at the door as they enter. A dab of that under their noses and they'll not smell anything else!
Thanks to my supportive friends and their unfailing humor, I'm slowly relaxing about the bad smell in the bathroom, and I'm even able to chuckle (a wee bit!) at it all!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)