Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

My husband and I went to the zoo today with our younger daughter and her two boys, the older of who got a negative covid test last night. We wore masks and socially distanced, and we had purchased tickets before hand. So there were not crowds, and people obeyed the rules. Our nine month old grandson saw animals for the first time: giraffes, elephants, zebras, baboons, gibbons, camels and our favorite, a big black pig. It felt wonderful to be out SEEING something, but that might be it for bravery for a while. Our state surpassed one million cases, and doctors, nurses and hospitals are overwhelmed everywhere. The is not a time to let our guard down. I'm getting used to the idea of hunkering down for the holidays and hoping for the best in the new year. Anything else seems crazy. Because nobody is in control of this pandemic. We are at its mercy. Why people are not being careful is beyond my conprehension. Don't they know, at this point, people who've struggled with covid or died? Don't they care? Wishing it away is not possible. And yet, there is the president closing his eyes, hands over his ears, refusing to see the devastation he has wrought. And his supporters follow that example. It's purely insane.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

My husband and I ate lunch outside at our friends' house, and it was a delightful break from our routine. She made lovely squash soup and we had pizza as well, from our local bakery. It wasa chilly though, so despite our jackets, they turned the deck heater on. We realize this outside eating will not be viable soon. Adjust and adapt, adjust and adapt. That's what we all do these days. I have ordered my Christmas cards and made a list of things to do around the holidays. Not much, but I don't mind that break. I'm letting the joy come from figuring out what to get the grandkids, and ordering a new stocking for the little one who wasn't even born last year. Whether I decorate or not will be decided by whether my daughter, and her family, keep the three year old out of preschool and test before. I'm okay either way, at this point. Having been careful for so long, it's crazy to get sloppy now. I fear covid, and my own vulnerability to it. But at my age, there is always some health threat to fear; it's just part of the package of being fortunate enough to still be alive and kicking. I would say I'm adjusting and adapting nicely.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

Yesterday was cold for us, which of course does not mean we'd get any sympathy from the rest of the country, but the chill was a bit disconcerting. It fits in with the strange goings on in Washington, D.C., where it seems Republicans want to ignore the election and keep on as if it had never occurred. Didn't they swear to uphold the Constitution? Aren't they elected by us? It does send a chill up my spine. Dr. Strangelove and how I decided to declare the U.S. my fiefdom. Most of us in this country want a break from this craziness, so we can stop the pandemic and do work for the people. But the people who find this attractive? Do they really want to see what having no power and representation looks like? This is a bully's game: to make decent people stand down and let them take over the schoolyard. We saw The Untouchables a couple of nights ago, as a nod to Sean Connery, and at one point we turned to each other and said "mafia". Robert de Niro playing Al Capone was Trump personified. Let's hope sanity prevails, because this is no game we're playing, this is the stability of our nation. Great Britain found out when Brexit played out and people realized they had wrought suffering and havoc on themselves. Bullies expect to be held in check, because they have no self mechanism to turn off the destruction. Trump will not concede, so an alternate plan must be put in place. But McConnell has broken his vows as a senator. He should be impeached.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

It's turned chilly here and today we bundled up to stroll with our grandson and then hang out in the backyard this afternoon. Our grandson was begging up to fill the watering can, but no way, Jose. I'm thinking more about the grandkids presents for Christmas, and scouring catalogues to find fun gifts. We may be having Christmas by ourselves, but I've adjusted. Also, I've been super fortunate with my kids and grandkids, so this would be the first Christmas with no one. I can handle it. I turn on the radio station that plays Christmas music right at Thanksgiving and drive my husband insane until New Years. I feel like Biden's win has tempered my sorrow and downright cheered me up. I wanted a woman president, but one step at a time, I guess. I'm busy being happy we have a woman vice president, and she is a woman I admire, so who knows? She may make it all the way. I'm so happy for the female part of the human race. We need to be seen as competent, powerful, and inspiring. She all of that and more.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

Friday at the cabin we scattered the ashes of our dog who died sixteen years ago. His ashes have been in the cabin all those years, because he loved the cabin and fetching tennis balls in the lake and just being there with us. We flung them behind the cabin and I chanted and my husband said some words. Our younger son brought his dog's ashes up and we then walked to the lake and scattered his ashes. He died when our grandson was a new baby, and they've kept the ashes with them, but felt, as they are now moving out of state, that as he loved being at the cabin with them he would like to be part of the lake. And they will return and when they are swimming or canoeing he will be all around them. It felt healing to all of us, and then the next day we had the news of Biden's win, and it felt as if some of our sorrow of the last year lifted a bit. My husband and I have decided to scatter our other two dogs ashes in our back yard, which they loved better than the cabin. Still to come: scattering my brother's ashes after his death five years ago, and scattering part of our daughter's ashes next summer, when hopefully we can all be together. I do believe we are all one organism and completely and forever interconnected. I've always felt that way, since I was a child. It is comforting, but to me it is truth as well.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I'm very happy today that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be our leaders in January. I think of my two half South Asian kids, and I'm so glad for them, though my daughter has not lived to see this day. Her daughter is seeing it. I'm proud of the campaign they ran, and for all the voters who turned out despite covid and all the misinformation slung at us. I feel hopeful again, and I can turn on the radio now, or even the TV, without terror and stress. I know our country is divided, but with the right leadership that can be bridged for many more of us. Just the thought of a civil level of discourse is easing my anxiety. Civility is a start. I was glad to avoid the emails, texts and polls this past week, instead walking and playing with my eighteen month old grandchild, and basking in his joy and innocence. We played spades after he went to bad, and cheerfully woke up around 4:30 each morning to entertain him. I appreciated the chance to see more of him, our son and daughter-in-law before they move two states away. We saw the first snow at the cabin last night and today, and it brought back many happy memories of times at the cabin skiing, sliding on ice, tobagganing and making snow people. The cold air felt clean and crisp, and then the news Biden had won. It was a good day.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I just finished watching via zoom a two and a half hour retreat "Healing the World" My teacher and three others, including JoAnna Macy, spoke about how out of balance our world is, and I found it helpful. Praying for a restoration of sanity and balance among us humans and on behalf of the earth seemed a good plan leading up to the election. Tomorrow my husband and I are going to our cabin to be with our younger son, his wife, and son. I don't want media blaring at me and analyzing. I feel like I cannot stand the stress. Being among the big trees, listening to the ravens and watching the ospreys fish is a better use of my time and more protective of my mental health. Yesterday I packaged up 120 bags of candy, set out the signs for our neighborhood group, and watched for a while from the roof of the garage as families came by and plucked up the goodies. I almost didn't do it, but then that seemed defeatest, as if I was quitting because of the virus. There was a safe way to trick or treat, and I supported that concept. We actually went over to our younger daughter's house to see those two grandkids in their costumes: a pirate and a lion. They were adorable, and pleased we came. I received prompt photos from the other grandkids: a catapillar, a black cat and a Powderpuff girl. I looked at them on and off all evening, and felt glad that everyone was having fun. Then my husband and I watched "Them", a fifties film with B actors who became TV stars: James Witmore, Fess Parker, James Arness and Leonard Nimoy. Giant ants had mutated after a nuclear test site in New Mexico created a master race of ants who were going to take over the world. The special effects didn't hold up, but it was pretty funny. Better than thinking about the election, anyway.