sometimes there are clouds

And so…yesterday was a myriad of feelings. I had some news that I worried tremendously about and then worked through and amongst that darkness, I had some wonderful news. I, like most mothers do, hung onto the worry and hardly recognized the good. By the end of the evening, the worry was soothed and this morning I can focus on the good. It seems, for me, the clouds shield the sun, the clouds always "win" – I am not happy to admit that about myself and that is the complete reason for this blog…to express the small things that are good, to constantly remind myself to notice and celebrate the little things – for they are the fabric. I haven’t much time this morning and I feel a bit depleted from the night, but I did want to post a picture of a wonderful gift from my neighbor across the street – a purple cabbage and turnips. This is the stuff that “takes me there”. Hope your day is well spent and I hope you live in appreciation of everyone in it.

 

 I'm thinking smoothered onions and turnips and a cole slaw with purple cabbage and green apples? I cannot wait until I have hours to spend in a garden, but in the meantime, I am so lucky to have these neighbors.

 

b u

p s

love

I woke up, got up, a little earlier this morning – not before the sun, not even with the sun, but just after. I have somewhat of a blank canvas today to look forward to. I know that something will splatter paint on it soon but for a little while this morning, the possibilities are vitalizing.

Unfortunately, today, I wake with darkness, in the metaphorical sense. There was a tragedy in our town recently, an accident and a subsequent death, and these horrible occurrences of life are nearly impossible to get through – I didn’t know the people involved personally but the effect becomes very personal. What I take from these misfortunes are the instant reassessment of my life and the reassurance that it is all so fragile and fleeting. And with this, I reshuffle all of my foolish and shallow “worries” and know, once again, that all that matters is love – period – there is no more . and with that realization, most of our troubles somehow disappear because they don't really matter much, do they? The people I love are here and the ones that are not "here", I have loved and still love and everything else that is good in my life is just extra. The "extra" will give me temporary pleasures - the new job, the good report card, the new car, the clean house, the trip to the beach, but loving people will fill the void - loving people will fill this blank canvas with beauty and depth and at the end of the day it is the only thing we can give that really endures. 

To be bold and melodramatic, I end with a quote by Og Mandino:

Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.



heart u

p s