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The Old Days

“In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it ‘Christmas’ and went to church; the Jews called it ‘Hanukkah’ and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say ‘Merry Christmas!’ or ‘Happy Hanukkah!’ or (to the atheists) ‘Look out for the wall!”
― Dave Barry

Today I was thinking back to what these days before Christmas were like when I was a kid. It was so much different in so many ways.

I grew up in a small town and much of our shopping was done through Sears or J.C. Penny catalogs. As soon as Thanksgiving was over, we impatiently waited for those catalogs to show up in the mail so we could shop and create our Christmas lists.

I was going to say I wished I’d saved one of those catalogs. In all honesty, by the time Christmas arrived, the pages that had become everyone’s favorites were in pretty rough shape. If I close my eyes, I can still hear the rustle of the pages as we each took our turn to shop.

Whish…whish..sigh…whish…move in closer…whish…smooth out each and every page so we could see every little part of that toy, doll, or extra special, beautiful dress…whish…

We’d all earmark pages where we’d each found items that became part of our list. Between the catalogs and the ever-increasing TV commercials, we had copious lists–which had to be shared with Mom after each entry to make sure she understood EXACTLY what it was we wanted. Once we had our lists completed, we were instructed to pick out our favorite three things. What an impossible request! With heavy sighs and loud protests, we did as instructed so we could get our letters to Santa written.

Oh, what bittersweet memories fill my mind and heart. I can see myself bent over my letter, a pencil held tightly and pressed firmly into the page, the tip of my tongue angled threw pursed lips, quickly composing my letter. With innocent sincerity, all my wishes and hopes were folded into the creases of that letter as I slowly placed it into a little white envelope addressed to Santa Claus, North Pole.

Under the tree on Christmas morning, we all had presents that resembled the things we had on our lists. In reality, the gifts are not as memorable as the whole process–the waiting, shopping our way through the catalogs, making the final selections, and truly believing.

I’m thinking I could use some of that simplicity today.

I am…

B…simply being…

Love, peace, and pray for those in need today.

 

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A Cheer of Kindness

“Do not wait until Christmas to spread a little cheer,
people appreciate kindness, all through of the year.”
― Charmaine J. Forde

The bells in the clock tower at the church not far from our house are playing Christmas music at the top of the hour. It was a comforting sound, ringing out across the valley as I began this cold and rainy day here in Texas. There is even talk of snow flurries later today. I am very thankful I can stay home–the roads will not be a pretty sight if they begin to freeze.

The weather certainly encouraged a day of rest and reflection. Okay. Honestly, it was no different from any other day for me–it just gave me a very handy excuse.

As I watched the rainfall, two things came to mind.

My first thought streamed in after I picked up what little mail we get these days. The wonderful thing about this time of year is we actually get real mail from real people. It is the best gift. If you have not sent a card or a letter lately, now is a very opportune time to brighten someone’s day.

As I read our cards, I thought back to the years I’d complained about all the cards I had to send out to relatives. Today I’d be thrilled to have the chance to send holiday cheer to them. The pages in my address book of relatives have disappeared, leaving me sighing, shaking my head, and regretting I’d spent so little time and effort staying in touch with them. Learn from my neglect. Reach out and spread some win/win joy, to those receiving your Christmas greetings and to yourself as you send out your love.

My second memory came more subtly. Many years ago, I took a self-confidence class. One of the exercises given was to compliment three people a day for a week. If you’ve never done that, try it. The results, both to the person you compliment and to yourself for those few words of praise, are incredible. If you take that a step further, give the gift of kindness this Christmas. It costs nothing but may mean everything to the person you bestow your words upon. A simple card with a statement about what you admire about them. If that’s a hard assignment to tackle, take a different route by thanking them for something they did to help you this past year. It may be something they did so automatically they were unaware of how important it was for you. If you want to add another dimension to the exercise, sent out your cards anonymously. Grow this Christmas season. With a full and grateful heart, care and share.

“To the American People: Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. If we think on these things, there will be born in us a Savior and over us will shine a star sending its gleam of hope to the world.

Presidential message, December 25, 1927”
― Calvin Coolidge

As I type tonight I’m hearing the news about the fires in California. My prayers are being said as I finish my story. I ask for you to join me.

I am…

B…simply being…

Care, share, and pray.

Peace

 

 

 

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Unexpected

“It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited, and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things.”
― Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can’t Avoid

This has been a year of unexpected loss for so many people. From terror attacks to natural disasters, we’ve all witnessed tragedy.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen loss from a closer vantage point. I understand it’s part of getting older. Several of my friends have lost loved ones. Some after months of battling cancer to others suffering losses after tragic accidents. Prepared or not, death finds unexpected ways to surprise you. Whether it’s guilt for not being there enough to receiving a card mailed to you before the accident occurred, the pain is intense. An ache that smolders, erupting into a full blaze when least expected.

I firmly believe we are here to help each other. It is by living through our own losses that give us the knowledge and insight allowing us to help on a level only those who have walked that path can. It is the ultimate initiation process. By reaching out to help, opening our hearts and sharing of ourselves, some of our own agonies ease and fade. It’s what it’s all about–caring for one another.

“From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that we are here for the sake of each other – above all for those upon whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends, and also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.”
― Albert Einstein

I am…

B…simply being…

May God bless us all with patience, kindness, and understanding.

Peace

 

 

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A Monday Prayer

There are times when I miss looking out my back window and seeing the mountains. Today is one of those days. This picture is a great and easy fix for that. I am grateful.

Michael and I spent this afternoon talking with someone about healthcare coverage. At the end of our conversation, I truly believed she’s a saint. We were just one of her calls today–and she is scheduled every hour for the rest of the day. God bless all you insurance helpers out there. You have a very tough assignment.

The whole exercise was a test of our patience. In light of that, I think it’s a great time to pull a prayer out of my files to share.

Prayer for Patience

My dear Lord, teach me to be patient when all day long my heart is troubled by little troublesome crosses. Teach me, Lord, to be sweet and gentle in all events of my life, in disappointments, in thoughtlessness of others, in the insincerity of those I trusted, in the unfaithfulness of those in whom I relied. Let me forget myself so that I may enjoy the happiness of others. Let me always hide my little pains and heartaches so that I may be the only one to suffer from them. Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes across my path. Let me use it that it may mellow me, not harden nor embitter me; that it may make me patient, not irritable; that it may make me broad in my forgiveness not narrow or proud, or overbearing. May no one be less good for having come within my influences; no one less pure, less true, less kind, less noble, for having been a fellow traveler with me on our journey towards eternal life. As I meet with one cross after another, let me whisper a word of love to You. May my life be lived in supernatural, full of power for good, and strong in its purpose and sanctity.  Amen

I am…

B…simply being…

May God bless us all.

Peace

 

 

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A Treasury

“I look around the room and can’t help but think about how it is the little things we look back on in life. I wonder how often people think that they should pay more attention to them.”
― Erika Lance, Behind the Veil

Sometimes the smallest thing creates the biggest buzz.

The picture I posted yesterday caught a lot of people’s eyes. What a joy today has been. Thanks to all who took time to make a comment and fill in some names and historical notes.

This being Friday, if we all could go back in time, we’d be making plans to go out for our usual Friday Happy Hour–or as we so reverently called it back then, P.O.E.T.S. Club. For those of you who don’t know the term, it stands for Piss On Everything Tomorrow’s Saturday. Trust me, after a week in a busy radiology department, you needed to let off some steam. With this group, there was never a shortage of hot air or alcohol at our Friday gatherings.

Faces, names, and stories have been streaming through my mind all day. At the time of yesterday’s picture, the workplace was very different–at least for this small group. The people I worked with were my extended family and just as dysfunctional as my real life family. We may not have always liked each other but we cared about one another. We worked hard together and we played harder. We were young, adventuresome, clueless, and, thank God, lucky.

These years taught me to never underestimate the value of luck or take for granted the kindness of friends. What a wonderful treasury of memories I’ve rediscovered.

  “A good friend is a connection to life – a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.”
― Lois Wyse

Have a great weekend, my friends. Take some time to reach out to some old friends.

I am…

B…simply being…

Love and peace, y’all.

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Happy Radiologic Technology Month

“One of the advantages of being disorganized is that one is always having surprising discoveries.”
― A.A. Milne

Today is the last day of November, a month set aside to honor Radiologic Technologists. This is the profession that formed the foundation for my long and rewarding career in imaging.

Attached is a picture of just a few of the people I worked with at St. Francis Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa, before moving to Colorado. Another lucky find as I worked these past few months organizing my stacks of photos. I love this picture. It makes me wish I had a picture of everyone.

Somewhere in the stacks is a better picture–one where we are all smiling. This photo was taken with all of us putting on serious faces–I can’t remember the reason–it appears we followed that suggestion very well.

Working in the radiology department is a very difficult job and one usually underappreciated. These healthcare professions study long and hard in order to understand, to list just a few of the topics in their required course of study, anatomy, physiology, and medical positioning. What is not taught or prepared for the emerging medical professional, is a course of study for dealing with the fact that they will be the ones working with patients who are injured, sick, and afraid.  They see their patients through some of the hardest moments of their lives. They take those experiences and those stories home with them, every single day. In my case, and for those faces seen in this photo, we have many faces and stories embedded in our memories. We see you, we hear you, we listen, and we remember you in our prayers.

So many wonderful memories created with this group. I am so thankful. I am so proud of the amazing people you all became. I am grateful you were and are a part of my life.

I cherish the memories you created with me.

I love you.

God bless you all.

I am…

B…simply being…

Love and peace to all.

 

 

 

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Walking Buddies

“If you can’t write, read.
If you can’t read, walk.
Or walk and read, then write.”
― Joyce Rachelle

 

Today, as I walked the dogs, I found myself wondering about some of my old walking buddies. Yes, that is one of them pictured above.

For many years, I’d walked this country road, using this herd of dairy cows as a marker for the spot where I’d turn and head back home. There was a slight curve in the road so we’d all craned our necks to see if they were there waiting for us. Some days we were too late. Even with the persistent coaxing barks of our dogs, they’d moved on and were off doing whatever it is cows do.

I realized as I walked today, I need this time walking. My walks help open my mind, allowing new ideas in while dismissing much of the negative chatter.  There has been so much craziness pushed into our heads lately, I needed a way to clear it out. Like Jim Butcher says:

“When I’m in turmoil, when I can’t think, when I’m exhausted and afraid and feeling very, very alone, I go for walks. It’s just one of those things I do. I walk and I walk and sooner or later something comes to me, something to make me feel less like jumping off a building.”
― Jim Butcher, Storm Front

Most of all, I needed that way to refill my well. I’ve been drawing from my internal reserve and not replenishing. I needed that remember to be kind to myself. Let go of all my worries and concerns and leave it to God. That is a difficult assignment for this oldest child–letting go of that control button–even if, as we all know,  that button is completely imaginary.

“Sometimes a walk is the solution to all our problems!”
― Avijeet Das

As I walked, I heard that loving little internal voice remind me of the very simple fact I was human. Because of that, I’m not perfect. There will be times when things don’t go as well or as smoothly as I’d like. It’s okay. Learn from it and move on. It was if I’d been given a reinforcing gift when I found this quote to share:

“All of us learned how to walk by failing.”
― J.R. Rim 

I am…

B…simply being…

Love and peace, Y’all.

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A Little Road Wisdom

Yesterday I talked about being at Prude Ranch and meeting Osa. As I wrote that story, I thought of a few other tips I could share with anyone thinking about RVing.

Michael and I began to travel by RV when he was traveling a lot for his job. The last thing he wanted to do when he got home from the airport was to get on another plane. Eating at restaurants was another thing not high on his time off to-do list. Throw into that equation the fact we had dogs at home, investing in an RV made a lot of sense to us. With our home away from home on wheels, we could spend time off together, fix and eat our own food, and splurge on some very nice bottles of wine.

When we started down the path of being full-time RVers, we learned some dos and don’ts of the road. These are a few of the most poignant ones.

Be aware of popular events going on in the area you will be visiting. Our full-time adventure began the last part of September. We’d planned on going to Sante Fe for a few days on our way to Carlsbad Caverns. Even though Michael is a balloon pilot, he forgot the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta begins the first weekend in October.  When we tried to get a spot in one of our favorite parks, they were full. Every park around that area was full except for one park. They had one spot left. As we parked, we understood why this spot was open. We were on a little peninsula between the propane filling tank, the dump station, and the trash. It was a long three days in Santa Fe. Two big lessons learned on this leg of the trip. Plan way ahead and question the area around your camping site.

From Santa Fe, we traveled to Carlsbad, New Mexico. We’d made reservations at a campground there well in advance. We’d read the reviews and looked at the posted pictures. There were not many reviews or pictures–something we learned to see as a huge red flag. It was a long and hot trip to this rather isolated part of  New Mexico. I went in to pay for our stay while he waited with the dogs. As we drove down to the campground, what we saw was not at all what we’d expected. We parked and set up our site but decided we’d stay only long enough to see the Caverns. When we went up to tell the desk that we would not be there for our full stay, we learned they did not do refunds. As you can see by the attached photo, it was not a place where you wanted to spend a lot of time. Our lesson from this experience was to investigate the park BEFORE you pay. We would have had to pay a cancellation fee, but that would have been much less expensive than what our full week ended up costing us.

Living and exploring our beautiful country by RV is a priceless experience. We’ve met some of the most wonderful people on our journies. When we began our adventures, I kept a journal, making notes about all the people we met and the experiences we had at each stop. My last bit of advice for you is to start your own journal. As I look at that little spiral notebook and read the entries we both made of those early days, I am so thankful we have that bit of recorded history of so many unexpected discoveries and joys.

I am…

B…simply being…

Love and peace, Y’all.

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Osa

This is Osa.

We were told her name means “bear” in Spanish. The name fit her perfectly. She was the size of a bear, by far the largest dog I’d ever met.

We were full-time RVers when we met Osa. We were staying at the historic Prude Ranch, located just outside of Fort Davis, Texas. We arrived in mid-October and stayed through the first part of November. Osa was our campsite companion and protector.

If you are thinking about the RV lifestyle, there are so many things I could share with you. One of the most important things is, do NOT believe the pictures posted online by the facilities. If there are no recent reviews, think long and hard before you make reservations.

Prude Ranch is a guest ranch that has been in operation for decades.  At one time, it was the place to go for family vacations. When we were there, it was in dire need of repair. For the time we were there, we were the only RV in the upper RV park. It was quiet, peaceful, but a little scary. This brings up the other very important thing I want to share about RVing today. Please pay attention to the area you will be staying in. Determine how far you are from medical help? Will you have cell phone coverage? Internet was where we focused, not even questioning cell phone coverage. We were staying during the low season, once the few staff members left for the day,  we were alone. Yes, there was a pay phone at registration–which was at approximately a quarter of a mile from where we were camped. During the time we were there, I never once checked to see if the phone worked.

Osa took care of us. She’d come every day, mid-morning, staying through the night, leaving early for her job the next day. We have three dogs. They are not social. When I opened the door the first day Osa came, I was concerned. There was no containing this large dog. Our dogs would need to adjust. It was obvious, she was not going anywhere. We’d have to make it work. As I envisioned big battles that would have been very bad for our dogs, something magic happened. Each dog went through their own dog greeting, acting like they’d known each other forever.

We’d noticed our screen door would pop open if it was hit just right. Checking this door was the last thing checked before taking our dogs for a walk. One sunny afternoon, we were heading back to the RV when Michael tossed me his leashed dog, talking quickly while racing back to the trailer. What was being said was lost because he was moving too quickly. Grasping all the leashes, my gaze followed his path. In the distance, I could see the screen door was open, dog toys flying out into the yard.

Osa had figured out how to open the door. By the time I got home, Michael had retrieved the toys that’d survived her wild adventure, the inside dog bowls had been licked clean, every drop of water gone. Osa, in true Osa fashion, had made herself at home. As I surveyed the damage, I thanked God our dinner was sitting in the refrigerator.

On our last day, as we packed up to leave, Osa was there. I can visualize her now, meandering up the hill to our site, stopping close to each of us, leaning into our legs, finagling a pet and a treat.

There was a huge empty spot in our hearts as we made our way to the coast. We all missed having her outside the front door as we started our days. We missed having her big bear sized head under our hands. She’d somehow tamed our three dogs as she made her way into our lives and deep into our hearts. She was our gentle giant, our very own west Texas guardian angel.

God bless you, Osa. I love you.

I am…

B…simply being…

I wish you all love the size of Osa.

Peace

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Fortunately, Friday

“Clearly, one of the major obstacles to our experience of gratitude is the habit we have of sleepwalking through life. The truth is that we are never lacking for blessings in our lives, but we are often lacking in awareness and recognition of them.” ~ Rev. Diane Berke, Ph.D

As hard as it is for me to believe, it is Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, 2017.

Our Thanksgiving was a small, easy family gathering. It was lovely. Michael’s sister, Neva, and her husband, Irving, arrived carrying flowers and a pineapple upside down cake–it was a great start to a very relaxing day.

I took the day off from writing. I wanted to focus on being present, aware, and thankful. As I sat the place settings around our table, I found myself thinking about the empty chairs around many Thanksgiving tables this year due to unimaginable events that’d happened since last Thanksgiving. The imagery of that was powerful.

I saw the faces sitting around our table a little differently yesterday. Whether it was God-given grace or that glass of wine, I’m not totally sure. What I can say is I appreciated each person on a much higher level–the little things that’d irritated me in years past were easily ignored while the gifts and time shared meant so much more.

“Gratitude means thankfulness, counting your blessings, noticing simple pleasures, and acknowledging everything that you receive. It means learning to live your life as if everything were a miracle, and being aware on a continuous basis of how much you’ve been given.” ~ Marelisa Fábrega

I am…

B…simply being…

Peace