The Storm

The Storm--

It was around noon when the rain began.  That was quickly followed by strong winds and hail.  Lightening flashed.  Trees swayed and bent against the wind.  Large limbs crashed to the ground.  The power went out.  On days like this we are very grateful for a basement.

The local TV station reported tornado touchdowns in towns very close to us.  Pictures of damaged neighborhoods were posted for all to see.  It was devastating.  Truly, the pictures looked like a war zone.  And that is exactly what it was.  Nature attacked.  People had no way to defend.  Survival became the only thought as people tried to get to safety.

I grew up in the South.  Tornados took the homes of many neighbors.  In fact, where we lived was called tornado alley.  People built storm shelters and huddled inside them until it was safe to be outside. The storm shelters were actually rather scary.  Damp and dark with bugs and spiders.  But, that was much safer than trying to ride the storm in our house.  There were no cell phones.  Nothing to help us.  Many of our neighbors lost everything to those storms.  Our worst damage was a barn that collapsed with a horse inside.

The storms of my youth were certainly horrible.  The storms in my adult life seem so much more vicious, and they arrive with greater regularity.  Who would have thought a storm like this in November in the Midwest?  I suppose there have been some.  I just don't remember any of this magnitude.

One moment everything is normal in life.  Kids are playing, lunch is ready to be consumed, football is on tv.  Families are doing what families do.  Maybe the washer is churning away.  Plans are made for the day.  And then almost without warning, life is split wide open.  People gather children and head to the basement.  They huddle together trying to protect one another from the assault of wind, rain and hail.  It seems like an eternity yet it is over in a few minutes.  From this moment on children will fear dark clouds, rain and wind.

There is rejoicing that everyone survived this attack.  Yet amid the rejoicing, there is shock and saddness.  Things are different.  The house that provided shelter could not withstand the strength of nature.  It did its best.  It stood strong and tall as long as it could.  If it could communicate, I think it would express its saddness and despair that it was unable to offer protection and shelter.

 And now pieces of life are collected and placed in baskets, boxes and bags. Tears flow as memories flood the soul.  Let those of us who have undamaged homes listen carefully for ways to help those who suffer this day.  It is at times like these that people experience what it truly means to be human.  People rush to offer anything they have to aid those in distress.  People are truly good at heart.  We reach out to those we do not know because we "know" deep within ourselves that we are all in this together.  Another's suffering is my suffering.  Another's joy is my joy.  We cannot separate ourselves from others.

A clear blue sky greeted me this morning.  As I scanned the heavens, yesterday's news flooded my heart.  How can the world move so quicky from despair to beauty in a few hours?  I don't understand.  But, I do understand that out there amid that destruction is someone I can personally help.  I wait with anticipation for that person to become visible.  And maybe that is the lesson to be learned or relearned.  We are our brother and sister's keepers.  We may not be in relationship with them.  We may not know their names.  We may not live next door.  But, what does any of that matter?  Honestly, it doesn't.  What matters in this life is people.  At this moment in our lives we have the golden opportunity to reach out beyond ourselves and comfort another fellow traveler on this planet.  I know we will all do exactly what is right for each of us to do.

I will go about my daily routine.  But, there is a difference within me today.  Once again I have been taught that life is fragile.  That things change.  Yet, love and kindness remain.  Shared hugs and tears   bind people together.  People who "show up" offer us the strength to move forward.  We do what we can.  We love.

If you are reading this, my prayer is that you are safe.  I am grateful for you even though I don't know who you are.  May you experience a day of gratitude this day.  And may you reach beyond yourself in ways you have never done before.  That is my prayer for me as well.

Going in Circles

Going in Circles--

Setting on my desk is a round container designed to hold BB's.  There are no BB's in that container.

Yesterday afternoon my grandson, Jack, brought a gift to me.  He said it took him a long time to collect the inhabitants of that round container.  He said he had to chase them.  Once he caught them, he placed them in the container.  And now three Lady Bugs are circling the inside of that container expecting to find a way out.  It won't happen.  The only way out is for me to open the lid and give them freedom.

There is nothing for them to do but circle.  They can't fly.  There is nothing to eat inside the cylinder.  They simply have to go in unending circles.  I waited until he was gone to set them free.

All of that made me think about life.  Humans aren't confined in round cylinders with no way out.  Yet, there are certainly times in life when we feel trapped.  Just like the Lady Bugs, we go in circles ending right back at the beginning.  It happens to everyone.  At one time or another in our lives, we experience frustrations that seem to have no way around, through or out.  We circle.  Maybe there is comfort in circling.

How could there be comfort in circling, you ask?  Well, it could be that as we circle, we think about our  challenge.  Thinking is a good way to assess exactly what is going on.  Sometimes we cannot change anything.  But there is something we can do.  We can change our own attitude towards our challenges.  We have the ability to understand that while nothing may change outwardly, inwardly we can see things through new eyes.  It isn't easy, that's for sure.

It could be that while we are circling, we are buying time.   During challenging times, taking time to think, pray, visit with others, listen, read offers us new ways to see our own situation.  While the end result may remain the same, our understanding can change.  It is possible that we might notice all the help and support others have so graciously given.   Nothing touches us like a friend or family member who understands our hurts and reaches out with love to comfort us.  Buying time means we haven't given up--rather we are taking a minute to breathe.  Going in circles can be quite tiring on our bodies, our minds and spirits.  When we take the time to "just be," we feel refreshed and ready to meet the next challenge.

Yes, I go in circles.  Like the Lady Bugs, I hope someone will notice and open the container and let me fly free!

Putting Fear Behind Me--

Putting Fear Behind Me--

It could have happened.  Yes, it could.  But, due to my procrastination, it will take longer than I anticipated.  When I think about it, it makes me a little angry with myself.

It was within my grasp.  All it would have taken was a little time and a few instructions.  Instead of getting the help I needed, I simply watched the days go by.  Now I will have to reboot my enthusiasm.

Yes, I could have had my second book ready for you before the holidays.  That was my goal.  Instead, I have pages and pages that are crying out to be pulled together.  So, the question is why I let the time pass without completing this goal.

My only answer to this question is fear.  Fear that you, the reader, will not find any pleasure in my writing.  Fear that I have nothing of value to share.  Fear that no one will want to purchase the new book.  So many things to keep me from accomplishing this goal.

It is time to put fear in its place.  Writing is so personal.  When I put my thoughts out there for others to read, I am sharing parts of me.  It is a bit scary as all control is lost once my part is finished.  Once the words meet your eyes, mind and heart, I can only hope that you are encouraged, or your day is brightened.  I can only hope that you are challenged by my experiences.  If some of what you read adds joy to your life or makes you smile, then I have met my goal.

So, with that I will attempt to pull the pages together and get them off to the printer.  If you are interested in a copy of the new one, please let me know!

Who Would Have Thought Continued--

Who Would Have Thought Continued--

Now he tells me.   Some dishwashing soap wrapped in paper actually does dissolve--paper and all.

Goes to show what I know!

Who Would Have Thought..

Who Would Have Thought..


Thought you might enjoy how an intelligent woman lives....

My husband does the grocery shopping.  He takes his time reading labels and comparing prices.  He knows we save money if he does that task.  And, he doesn't mind.  That is amazing to me.

On a recent grocery run he purchased a new dishwasher soap.  We have used the same brand of powder detergent for a long time.  When I opened the cabinet door and saw a different product, I assumed he had studied the differences in the products and purchased the one he deemed better.

The new detergent was a capsule wrapped in paper.  How clever, I thought.  No detergent would be spilled when I filled the small compartment in the dishwasher door.  After I finished loading the dishwasher, I took one of the capsules and placed it in the proper place, hit the wash button and closed the door.  The quiet hum of the motor told me I would soon have super clean dishes.

My husband was the one who emptied the dishwasher.  I was working on my computer when he walked into my office holding the dishwashing capsule.  He was smiling.  That smile told me I had done something goofy.  Cannot bring myself to say "stupid."  He said we would get lots of washes out of that one capsule.  And then he said the paper covering had to be removed prior to putting it in the washer.  He was laughing when he left the room. First, I heard scissors busy cutting paper.  Then I  heard the dishwasher door open.  I heard a clunk as he placed the small square in the proper place.  Finally, the door closed.   The motor began to run.  And this time soap was dispensed.  I think the company who makes the small squares of soap should give that paper covering the ability to dissolve when hot water hits it!

Do you suppose the soap came with instructions?  Everytime I load the dishwasher, I smile.  And then I take the scissors and cut the paper.

This silly event is one piece of my story.  It is not life changing or deep.  It won't impact anyone's decisions.  But, it is one item on a long list of funny events in my life.  I am grateful for silly things that happen.  They remove stress and cause laughter.  Who doesn't need laughter?  At our house we don't have to wait long for the next happening--usually at my expense.

Beware of new inventions, my friends!




 

Things That Bring Happiness--

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Things That Bring Happiness--

-Hot chocolate piled high with whipped cream

-Friends who make us laugh

-Family--especially those family members who laugh long and hard

-Grandma's cookies

-Being on a team

-Taking a walk on a snowy day

-Haircuts that are perfect

-Sharing a cup of coffee with a friend

-That one moment when the house is clean

-All the laundry done

-Reading a good book

-Knowing someone understands you

-A surprise

-A bouquet of flowers on a rainy day

-The smell of a puppy

-Love

-A baby's first smile

-Learning a new thing

-Paving the way to success for another

-A hug

-Finding the solution to a challenge

-Walking into an inviting, warm room

-Sharing a meal with special people

-Grandchildren

So many life experiences bring us happiness.  It is a good thing to think about those things more.  However, when life sends us those pesky challenges, we get lost in the negative.  Who wouldn't?

One thing we can do when life hurts is to stop and breathe.  Slowing ourselves down helps us see more clearly.   Perhaps as we slow our lives down, we will be able to see what is good.  Even in those darkest moments of our lives,  good lives.  Instead of concentrating all our energies on how things have gone wrong, maybe we can remember a good time we had with family or friends.   Maybe we can be thankful for good moments before all the bad ones came crashing down around us.

Life is not easy.  When we look at another person's life, we only see the facade they wish us to see.  We don't see the daily struggles they encounter.  We don't see the insecurities they live with everyday.  We don't see the holes in their hearts that are so like our own.  We only see the outside.

If another life looks easy from the outside, it could be that they have learned to accept that life is not fair.  They understand that attitude plays an important role in how they experience life.  Having a positive attitude in challenging circumstances does not mean laughing when the world is falling apart.  No one appreciates a flip attitude when life hurts.  But, others do appreciate sharing converation with another who has walked a similar walk.  Everyone appreciates it when a fellow life traveler holds our hand as we struggle through our own difficult time.  These people are gifts.  They understand that bad times come to all, but good times will return.  They help us see that happiness is out there waiting for us.

Happiness comes to those who seek her.  She is always waiting to give huge bushels of herself to anyone who comes seeking.  I welcome her into my life!

A Colorful Fall Morning

A Colorful Fall Morning--

It is Saturday morning.  The air is crisp.  The trees are putting on a fashion show.  Some are wearing bright yellow.  Others chose orange.  A few continue to wear greens--all shades.  Well, green is a good fall color, too.  There are a few browns scattered here and there.  One decided a light purple was the best color for her.  The tall grasses have turned a light tan which adds such a soft accent to all the brighter colors.  They are certainly showing off their best colors today.

Since the outside is so astoundingly beautiful, I decided it was time to add bits of color here and there inside the house.  The easiest way to do that is to visit the outside with a pair of scissors in hand and cut a few choice limbs from the tree.  Bringing the outside in is easy for me since I am surrounded by nature.  The leaves won't last long, but until they are finished, they will add natural beauty to the house.

Eye candy is everywhere.  Driving along a city street this week, the vivid colors were screaming at me to stop and look.  It was actually distracting.  Enormous trees clothed completely in reds, yellows, oranges, greens and mixtures of those colors were everywhere.  How proud of themselves they must be.  To be sure they are aware of all the humans who gaze on them in total wonder.  It is their time to shine.  And they are certainly shining.

Soon they will drop all those colorful leaves.  The ground will be carpeted in their offering.  People will gather wheel barrows, rakes, bags and begin the task of removing them.  Piles and piles will call children to jump and play.  Parents will take pictures as a remembrance of this particular fall.  This is the absolute best fall, they will say.  Of course, it probably isn't the best one.  We tend to forget.  So when fall returns, we will once again remark that this one is the best ever.  Fall does that to us.  It catches us off guard.  We are brought out of the ordinary into the extraordinary.  And then it is all done for another year.

Sitting here writing, I am aware that there is something important missing in my life.  That something would be apple cider.  Hot apple cider.  So, I am getting dressed, combing my crazy hair and heading to the grocery store for a gallon of that delightful liquid.  And then I am going to walk among all the fallen leaves.  I am going to look up into the trees and marvel at the wonder of nature.  I may build a fire in the outdoor fireplace and sit with my cider and think on all things beautiful.  Yes, that is what I shall do.

If you are in my neck of the woods, please stop for a visit.  The hot cider is wating!