Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

A friend of mine had an article published about her in a local monthly.  She has an amazing collection of giraffes, and her house is a delightful museum.  The article also touched on her life, and her five year struggle with stage IV lung cancer.  She has survived changing chemos, various drugs, and all the while traveling and living her life to the hilt.  She only retired a couple of months ago.  She has been an attorney for various cities.  We met when another friend invited her to my monthly study group focusing on the world's religions.  She was a faithful member for ten years, and in the process we all shared a lot of personal ups and downs.  I keep her story in my heart when I think of my own daughter struggling with metastasized cancer.  I know doctors have a lot of tools in their toolbox, more each day, and I'm upbeat about my daughter's future.  My friend is one of the countless ordinary heroes who brave what life gives them and don't give up anything of who they are.  I'm glad someone is highlighting her story, because she is a woman determined to be all that she is, even if she has a diagnosis. 

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

Our family is getting excited about our younger son and his wife's baby due this month.  Yesterday our daughter-in-law called me and my heart jumped, but it was just because she'd locked herself out of their house, and needed to borrow our keys.  I teased her she shouldn't call unless it was the baby.  She's packed her bag for the hospital, and they are very organized.  The baby's room looks sweet, with crib, changing table, rocking chair and mobile.  I'm in charge of babysitting their dog and cat while they are at the hospital, and will spend the night with them.  It's hard to believe I'll have a fourth grandchild very soon.  Each child is so different and I can't wait to see what this grandson is like.  He will benefit from a large, loving family on each side, that's for sure.  Many boy cousins around his age, and one baby girl.  And an older cousin who will be old enough to babysit him in a couple of years.  This family expansion is such a blessing, and on each side every sibling has at least one child, so they are all on the same page.  I wish I'd had that kind of support when I was having my kids, but luckily, this time around, there is an abundance of family.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

Our family is thrilled because my older daughter has a non-fiction piece in a prestigious journal.  Her first novel is being published next year.  She has tenaciously worked for this moment for many years, and it's delightful to see her soar.  We're very proud of her.
 I'm struggling with a cough contracted from my younger grandson.  Nevertheless, we took him to a wildlife museum yesterday, where we saw hawks, eagles, ravens, a kite, a turtle and many fascinating rescued animals.  But our favorite was a porcupine.  We saw her up close and personal, as she was curious about us, or rather some crackers a little boy nearby was holding.  I had no idea they could walk on their hind feet so well.  They waddle a bit, but are so adorable.  She reminded me of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle.  She ate broccoli from the hand of the keeper, climbed a log and generally seemed comfortable.  She has been there since she was a baby, and cannot be reintroduced to the wild now.  We tried to convince our grandson to get a stuffed porcupine from the gift store, but he loves birds, so he selected a ruby throated hummingbird, that could make its call when you pressed it.  His choice is not suprising, as this is a boy who says he makes a nest to go down for his nap and bedtime. 

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I did enjoy "Dumbo"  yesterday.  I went with my friend and we accidentally bought tickets for a Dolby Sound system that had very loud sound and vibrating seats.  We laughed throughout at the simulation of an earthquake.  We were definitely the wrong audience for rumbling.  Oh, well.  The tickets were more as well, but then, there is a sucker born every day, and two yesterday.  The film was gorgeous to look at and Dumbo so sweet it made your heart curl.  Michael Keaton, Colin Farrell, Danny DiVito and the kids were great, but Eva Green was strange.  It was as if she was impersonating Lisa Marie, Tim Burton's former muse.  The flying brought tears to my eyes, as it was meant to do.  I cannot really remember the old movie at all.  But I recognized a song from it; the one song in this movie but a great one.  Did Keaton's villain remind me of our current president?  Definitely, and there is plenty of plot for the PETA people and also those with missing mothers, and antiwar activists.  All ends well, and the final circus has only people not animals entertaining the masses, which is the way it should be.  Why harm animals in the making of this trope?

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

My daughter's MRI came back clear, and we are all so relieved and happy.  It means the new chemo is working as it ought to.  And walking with my friend this morning, she had great news about her kids, including a new puppy for her youngest and her boyfriend.  I had to see a picture of Pearl, who is white and a mix that will guarantee a big adult dog.  We walked in the gloom, but it didn't rain, and in an hour I'm off to lunch and a movie with another friend.  We're going to see "Dumbo", which is my idea, and I hope I don't regret it.  Yesterday I had a lovely lunch and conversation with a friend of twenty years, and we had so much fun we skipped the walk we were going to take.  I'm blessed with so many dear friends who cheer me up and support and root for me.  They are the foundation of my life.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

We're in for another week of rain.  Luckily, I have plans every day this week, that aren't affected.  Even the walks with friends will go on under umbrellas.  I usually live under sunny skies, though, so I'm spoiled.  Even when we ventured to another state for seven years, it was the third sunniest state in the U.S.  So am I living a big fat metaphor for my aging years?  It's tempting to say so.   We gain wisdom and perspective, but live daily with news of broken hips and diagnoses and trips canceled because of illness.  We're forced to be fluid, and accommodate our complaining bodies.  I generally do one thing a day now.  A day and evening event feels like pushing the envelope, and I need my sleep to function well.  A cup of coffee won't do it.  So we're forced into quiet and introspection, and slowly get comfortable with self examination.  I have the time to watch my mind do it's squirrely thing.  To realize I'm running old, old tapes again and again.  I lift out of observing me and feel free.  It's only that human thing I'm doing, it's not profound or meaningful.  Then, if I can bring some compassion for myself to the table, I can just be aware, moment after moment, that it's a wondrous thing to be alive in this world.  Let's watch the raindrops roll off the leaves of the camillias.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

Yesterday was our 45th wedding anniversary.  We had already had the big to-do the weekend before, so when our son-in-law asked if we wanted to do something with him and our grandson, I suggested the train museum.  We left early morning and got there right as the museum opened.  Our grandson was in his pajama shirt, with a dirty face, and his father had not had breakfast or showered and was in his clothes from the day before.  Why?  Our daughter is on a three day trip to see a friend.  I bet he will appreciate her more when she returns.  It was cute and funny, and I had wisely packed a water bottle and snacks for my grandson.  He has a runny nose and cough, but was thrilled to see train cars and tracks, and go through some of the cars:  dining car, sleeper car, freight car, and ultra modern car.  Then we saw them unloading a Thomas the Engine car, wooden, for the play area upstairs.  But his most fun activity was the toy cars upstairs, where he played with the toy trains.  We had to pull him away.  When we returned home late afternoon, we felt tired, so we didn't eat out.  I made pasta and we opened a bottle of white wine and watched "The Batchelor and the Bobby Soxer" with Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Shirley Temple.  Grand and Loy are a couple with major chemistry, and seeing them in action is fun.  That was our romantic moment of the day.