Memorial Day

It's Monday, May 31, which is Memorial Day this year. It's a day our country sets aside to remember those who have died in our nation's service. On Wikipedia, I found a chart which shows the casualties in all of the wars which have involved US military, from the American Revolution in 1775 to present day. The numbers are staggering in totality, but it is the loss of just one that is staggering to a family and community.

Pictured here is my paternal grandfather, John, who gave the ultimate sacrifice serving our country in World War II. My dad was just a boy of 9 when he lost his dad. With three young children, his mom remarried and their family grew. Times were hard for a large family, so my pops left his family home at the tender age of 13 to move in with another family who made room for one more at the table. I can only wonder how my dad's life might have been different had his father returned from the war.

A few short years later, my dad went on to serve our country in the Korean War. He was just a lad of 19 or 20 and his new bride was pregnant with their first child. This was long before the days of cell phones and Skype, so contact had to be maintained through letters which were mailed round the world. Thankfully my dad came home intact and has gone on to live a full and happy life.

For many, that is not the case as lives are lost and men and women are wounded, forever altering the course of their lives and that of their families. It is because of these willing and brave people that I am able to enjoy all of the freedoms that come from living in a democracy. In the letter below, which marks the loss of my grandfather, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt eloquently captured what service to our country means for those who are lost. He said:

He stands in the unbroken line of patriots, who have dared to die that freedom might live, and grow, in its blessings. Freedom lives, and through it, he lives--in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men.

Six-Word Sunday

thinking
dreaming
hoping
believing
doing
achieving

A Little Cabin in the Woods

There's a little cabin in the woods

offering respite from

the hustle and bustle of daily life.

It's a place to relax on the deck

to the soothing sounds

of the creek rushing by.

It's a place to rest in the gentle sway

of the hammock, enveloped by fresh air.

It's a place to remember what

really matters in life.

It's a place to reconnect

with family and friends,

free from distractions.

It's a place to revel in the beauty

and glory of nature;

the mountain looms nearby.

It's a place to rejuvenate through

silence and simplicity.

If I Didn't Have to Work

Taking a couple of days off from work, I find myself quite content to be relaxing and rejuvenating. It has me thinking what I would do with my time if I didn't have to work. I suppose, though, the that resources available to me would dictate how I might live if I didn't have a job.

For the purposes of this post, I'll imagine that I have actually started playing the lottery and won or some heretofore unknown wealthy relative has left me a huge inheritance. If I could do what ever I wanted to, I just might...

• Travel, travel, and travel some more. I've been fortunate to have been to some lovely places on vacation, but the world is vast and my journeys have been fairly limited. There are many places I would love to go, like Ireland, Australia, Costa Rica, and Spain, just to name a few.
• Spend more time, much more time, with my family, especially my parents. It would be lovely to be able to jump on a plane and seem them on a whim or for more extended periods of time.
• Start a foundation for single parents, providing much needed resources and support for those who are parenting alone. It's tough and a little help or a lot of help could make a big difference for parents and children.
• Purchase a home somewhere on a beach in a location that is warm and sunny most of the time. I do enjoy living in the Northwest, but I would love to be able to spend more time in the sunshine and warmth!
• If resources were unlimited, I would want to help everyone in my family if they needed monetary support or assistance. And some of my friends, too! For some, that might mean giving them a luxury vacation to the destination of their choice; for others, it might helping with purchasing or upgrading their homes or paying for a college education.
• Speaking of homes, I would love to do an extreme makeover of my house, inside and out. It would be fun to bring this place to its full potential. Of course, I would probably be like so many people and move once everything here was done!
• Oh, I know, I would hire a personal trainer like Jillian or Bob from The Biggest Loser to help kick my butt into shape!

If I didn't have to work, I think I still would in some capacity or fashion. I'd volunteer or find a way to stay engaged with my community. Really, if I could start a foundation for single parents, that would become my life's work. In an earlier post, I included a quote from Oprah about finding what you love to do through service to others, so running a single parent foundation would be perfect because it would allow me to do many different things while helping others. (Lots more ideas about that, so maybe I will post about my dream job later.)

Hhhmmmm, I wonder where I can buy a lottery ticket?

Thursday Thanks

Today I am thankful for a day of rest of rest and relaxation--no work, no obligations, not a care in the world. I had planned to dink around a bit today, but the boy took my car to his job, so I stayed home all day, which is something I don't do very often.

I slept in this morning, read for a while, had a lovely breakfast (a yummy french toast casserole that Matt had prepared last night, much to my surprise), and got a stew going in the crock pot for dinner. A few loads of laundry later, I am feeling very relaxed and psyched that I still have four more days off work.

Yeah for vacation days!

Five Days of Fun

I am taking tomorrow and Friday off, so I have five days in which I get to relax and play. What might I do?

Rent all six seasons of Lost to find out what all the fuss is about.

Spend a few hours watching all of the trash-talking daytime TV shows I never see because I work every day. Is Jerry Springer still on? Or is Maury still finding baby daddies?
Visit dilbert.com to find my favorites strips and rejoice in the fact that I am not at work!

I'm sure I will be able to fill the hours and day with some fun activities, and hopefully I will get some personal projects done, too!

I love my scanner...

and this is why!I have boxes upon boxes of photos; slowly but surely, I will get them scanned. For now, I am content to find my favorites for scanning and sharing. Some day I hope I can take my scanner to my parents house and scan their photos, too!

A Life's Mission

This evening I attended a presentation at my church of five individuals who will soon be returning to missionary work in foreign countries. Two couples and one single women will be traveling to Jakarta and Papua in Indonesia and Nairobi, Kenya, to dedicate themselves to serving others. One of the couples will be taking their five children, all school-age or younger, to Jakarta.

Each spent a short time speaking about the work they do, sharing the joys and challenges of serving others far from home. Their ministries range from continued development of a new school, Papua Hope, educating children from remote Indonesian villages to lecturing at the Nairobi International School of Theology to providing administration for Mission Aviation Fellowship in Indonesia.

What struck me most about these people was not the hardships they suffer while being far from home or the huge sacrifices they have made to live around the world, but the absolute joy which radiated from them as they spoke about their work, about their life's missions. Each spoke about feeling called to serve and about being open to what that meant for them individually or as a couple.

It reminds me that we are all capable of serving in some fashion, and sometimes the little things we do can make a big difference. This lovely quote by Oprah Winfrey captures the idea of having a life's mission:

I've come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint - and the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.

Six-Word Sunday

Emotions overhelm when
they're bottled up.

Saturday Afternoon Naps

One of my favorite things to do is relaxing and taking a nap on a Saturday afternoon. During the week, I typically do not get enough sleep, so every morning it takes the alarm clock to wake me. I get through the day and then usually have something that keeps me busy in the evenings, whether it is cooking dinner, paying bills, posting on my blog, or whatever. It is not often that I sit as soon as I get home from work, though if I did, I would probably nod off.

On the occasional Saturday or Sunday I find myself at home, feeling sleepy in the afternoon without a "to do" list or event or activity looming. I usually pick up the latest book I am reading (next on the list is The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver) and go sit on the couch in the living room. The little dog is generally clambering to find her spot next to me, and during the cooler months, I usually grab a throw blanket. I might get through 10 pages, or 50, of the book, but if I am tired, eventually the book drops out of my hands and I snuggle in to the couch for a much needed rest.

The only thing I can think of better than a nap on the couch is a nap outside on a sunny day, lying on a blanket in the middle of a lawn or on a beach. Too bad these wonderful naps don't come around very often!

Mischievous Miss

Tonight when I got home, I found some evidence that my little dog, Misty, was a mischievous miss today. Apparently she decided to dig out under the fence, through the dirt and mud. When she came back home, she used the couch and her doggie blanket to rub off the mud. She left mud on the floor and it was caked on her coat. Even though it was annoying to have mud and dirt all over, it's kind of nice that the old girl is still having some adventures!

A Blog a Day

I am very happy that I have made posting on my blog every day this month a priority. There was one night when I went out after work so I had to scramble to get my post done before midnight, but otherwise it has been fairly easy to post every day.

Now, I'm not saying that my posts are necessarily that great or interesting to other people, but for me there is a lot of joy in writing for pleasure. Making it a daily exercise has been fun and I love the idea of capturing moments in time with my words.

For the short term, my goal is to get through the month posting every day. Who knows if that will carry over beyond May 31? I hope it does...

Sticky-Wicket Wednesday

Hah, after listening to me grouse about an issue this morning at work, one of my friends/co-workers (who has checked out my blog) said that today was a sticky-wicket day. I said, "Yah, it's Sticky-Wicket Wednesday." Okay, Vicki actually came up with the sticky-wicket name after listening to me vent and we joked that she needed to help me come up with a moniker equivalent to "Cranky Schmanky."

There you have it, today became Sticky-Wicket Wednesday! So what were my sticky-wicket challenges today, you ask? Well, let's see, a couple of things I had to deal with were...

• having to attend a weekly meeting which, at times, is quite painful due to the pernicious group dynamic. Sometimes having to be politically correct and professional savvy gets old when what I really want to do is say, "Hey, who are you trying to kid with that line of BS?" Sadly, today's meeting did not disappoint.
• not sending my pounded out email reply to someone asking me about a process they are in charge of (and I am not) which they have asked me about for the past three years. Seriously, if I was in charge of it, I would know what I needed to know about managing the process. Vicki wisely suggested I not send the email which I hammered out! She also guided me away from resending this person the emails I sent about the process in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Working at an institution of higher education, at least at mine, is fraught with many challenges, but there are many, many, many more rewards. So while there where some sticky issues today, this Wednesday was more or less par for the course.

Slip-Sliding

In early March, as noted in this post, I decided I was only going to work 8 hours a day. It hit me today that I am slowly slipping back to working more than 8 hours a day. It has been a day here and there, working until 6:00 p.m. or skipping my lunch break and working late. Yesterday I worked about 10 hours and today it was closer to 11.

I am glad to be aware of this subtle and creeping shift in the wrong direction; it makes me realize just how easy it is to slip back to old habits. I've been working too many (uncompensated, in any way, not just pay) hours for years, so I guess I have to give myself a break and realize that change does not come easy.

My goal for tomorrow is to work a straight eight!

It's Raining Men...Nah, It's Just Raining

As I drove home from work today, the heavens opened and buckets of rain came pouring down. All I could think of was the song, It's Raining Men by the Weather Girls and the following lyrics:

It's raining men, Hallelujah,
It's raining men, Amen.
I'm gonna go out, I'm gonna let myself get
Absolutely soakin' wet.
It's raining men, Hallelujah!

Ah, well, I guess it was wishful thinking on my part because the only thing falling out of the sky today is rain, rain, and more rain.

Six-Word Sunday

This moment is
what really matters!

Girl Time

This afternoon I am anticipating spending this evening with two of my closest friends, Cari and Toni. The three of us have been a trio for a few years and I can say that these two women really know what it means to be a friend and love unconditionally.

Tonight we are going to hang out at my house, chat and probably watch a movie. It really doesn't matter what we do, it is just the time together that is important. With Toni and Cari, I know that I can relax and be myself, whatever that means on a particular day. They have seen me at my worst and they have supported me through some challenging times. I hope that they have also seen me at my best; they are always ready to share a laugh or celebrate the good times with me.

I am feeling so blessed to have these incredible women, and many more, in my life!

Ohana

Tonight I was lucky enough to volunteer at an event celebrating Asian Pacific Islanders. The most amazing thing about this event was that it reflected Ohana, which means family in Hawaiian culture. That this event was held at the local correctional facility makes it even more powerful because for a few hours, the fences and barbed-wire faded away, to be replaced by cultural pride and joy which everyone in the room was invited to share in and a part of.

There were three people at this event, Johnny, Leilani, and Nancy, who each embody Ohana. Johnny was the gentleman in charge of the performance; he led the group of men performing and explained what each dance or song represented. After welcoming everyone to the event, Johnny made it clear that each person in the room, regardless of their own backgrounds, was not only invited, but encouraged to participate in the event. He also explained that the men performing with him were not only his crew, but had become his family.

Leilani is a community member who volunteered to attend this event and share her knowledge about the history of the Hawaiian people. With grace and warmth, she prayed and danced; like Johnny, she urged everyone to join in and partake in the dancing and singing. Leilani explained that in her culture, they have animal spirits who are life blessings. Her spirits are the shark and the turtle. Leilani invited each person in the room to share her blessing or spirit and in so doing, to make their ancestors proud. When the performances were over, Leilani lingered and spent time talking with person after person, showing love and acceptance in her attitude and respect for them.

Nancy is currently working at the correctional facility as the community partnerships coordinator (sadly her job is being eliminated due to the state's budget woes). During the course of this evening, these men took time to thank her for her work on events and activities like this evening's Asian Pacific Islander event. With their appreciation, they showed Nancy they have all accepted her as part of their Ohana. Nancy's respect and appreciation of each of these men has shown them that they are valued and loved. She has opened her heart and mind to include them in her Ohana.

It was truly a delight for me to be experience the best of human culture--love and acceptance--at this event. Ohana in the house!

Playground Game & Memory Lane

Today at work, I nearly trip over a power cord for a laptop computer. In so doing, as I exaggeratedly lifted by leg high to cross over the cord again, I had a mental flashback of a game we played back in the day when I was in elementary school.

That game was what we then called Chinese jump rope. I did an internet search and chose the best video I could find that shows how the game was played. In my search, I came across a few different names for this game, including el juego del elastico, elastieken and elastics.

Looking at those videos, I was reminded of another game we played when I was a girl. I don't know if we had a name for it, but in this video it is called ayatori (string game) and I remember being able to do exactly what is shown in the video, but I am sure I would have to watch it a few times to get it right. I did get out a piece of yarn and the first few steps are still in the recesses of my mind. There are other outcomes when playing this game and you can see some of them on youtube.

Another game from my youth that I came across when doing this search was click clacks. I had a set of those babies and remember playing with them a lot. It's been funny to see some of the games I used to play or the toys we used to have, like Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, Life, the Easy Bake Oven, or the Spirograph.

Wow, one little trip sent me off on a journey down memory lane!

Cranky Schmanky

Some days, despite my best intentions, I find myself feeling cranky. On those days, anything and everything can be an irritant. This morning I felt a little cranky, which got me to thinking about what makes me cranky.

The following list is not intended to be exhaustive, but it includes some of the things that make me cranky:

• Not getting enough sleep.
• Having someone act like a jackass in one moment and then ask for a favor in the next.
• Dirty dishes in the kitchen sink.
• Being so hot that sweat forms in my nooks and crannies.
• Missing an easy shot when I play racquetball.
• People who hold conversations in the middle of the aisle in a market or store, seemingly oblivious to everything and everyone around them.
• Being in the bathroom and realizing there is no toilet paper.
• Tangled Christmas lights - ho, ho, frickin' ho!
• Having my computer act wonky and not being able to figure out why.
• Being on time and waiting for the person who isn't, especially if said person is perpetually late.
• Being late for the movies, church, a party, a wedding, etc. (Work--not so much.)
• Spending too much time with a narcissist.
• Worse, being in a personal crisis and talking with a narcissist.
• Paying for something at the store, getting home and then realizing I don't have that item in my bag.
• Stepping in gum.
• Car trouble, of any kind. Not knowing a do-hicky from a whatzit to a thingamajig doesn't help.
• Dog poop in the house. Bad dog!
• Having a bad hair day.
• Being cranky with someone I care about and then feeling like crap because I acted like a jerk.

I suppose that is a sufficient list of my crankiness. My son told me today that when I am cranky, I should take a breath and think before I say anything. Good advice, but it didn't make me feel less cranky!

Daily Deliberations

Eleven days have passed in May, and I have managed to post on my blog every day so far this month. I am hoping to develop a rhythm to my writing and become a regular poster. I so enjoy the blogs of bloggers who write or post (I follow some photo blogs) every day. Today I learned that one of my friends is blogging, so I am excited to add hers to the blogs I follow.

I am tired this evening because I worked almost 12 hours today, but I decided I could and should take a few minutes to write on my blog. I am enjoying the process of thinking about what I want to write about, and once I do, figuring out just what I want to say. I think there is some benefit in not spending too much time editing my posts because it is easy for me to wordsmith a lot since it I spend a lot of time editing communications at my job.

To all the bloggers known and unknown to me, thank you for inspiring me to think and write, to write and think, to make time for daily deliberations.

A Wonderful Day

Yesterday was one of the nicest Mother's Days I have ever had. My day started with my son, Matty, treating me to breakfast in bed. (As you can see from the post below, he will always be my baby!) He made a delicious breakfast -- has anyone else ever had stuffed, baked french toast? I highly recommend it!

Accompanying my breakfast was this lovely note on my napkin. If you read my post about how I love and keep cards, letters and notes, you will not be surprised to know that I immediately asked Matt for another napkin because this one is a keeper.

After breakfast, we prepared a lunch which we shared with our dear friend, Doreen, and her family after Matt, Doreen and I went to church. Doreen's husband, daughters and grandson were there, too; we had a lovely afternoon.

The late afternoon and evening were relaxing and laid-back, but Matt wasn't quite done with making me feel loved and appreciated. He also made dinner--chicken enchiladas, refried beans, Spanish rice, chips and guacamole--which we didn't eat until quite late in the evening.

Reflecting at the end of the day, I know the only thing that would have made it better would have been to also get to the spend the day with my own beloved mother.

Six-Word Sunday

Motherhood, a lifetime

of countless blessings!

MOMS

While my mom has and will continue to be my greatest role model of what it means to be a mother, I have learned a lot of valuable lessons from the women in my life whom I call sister, friend, auntie, co-worker, or sister-in-law. The mothers pictured here are just a few of the women who have influenced not only who I am as a mom, but also who I am as a woman. Some of the lessons I have learned from these and other women about what it means to be a mom are:

A mom should not only teach her children to fly,

she should encourage them to explore the world.

Sometimes "Because I said so" is the right answer,

because moms usually do know best.

It's okay to say "no" when necessary,

and that makes a "yes" all the sweeter.

If our moms accept us for exactly who we are,

we have confidence and courage to face the world.

A mom living her life day to day, being responsible and determined,

getting things done and always moving forward,

can be the best example a child will ever need.

Taking care of yourself is important.

It's important to take time to play with our kids,

even when they are not kids anymore!

A mother's hopes and aspirations for her children

does not diminish with years or age because

they are always her babies.

Sometimes doing it all or having it all

is not what it's cracked up to be.

There is no one who will ever see a child through the filter in a mom's eye;

she sees beauty and handsomeness in each of her children,

no matter their physical characteristics.

No one understands the challenges a mom is facing

better than a mom who has walked a mile in her shoes.

Teaching your children to use their imagination means

they won't be bored very often.

A hug from your mom can make everything better.

No matter how many miles or years separate from our moms,

we stay connected in our hearts.

A mom is the glue that holds a family together.

A mother's love never ends.

To the dear ones who have mothered me, loved me, supported me, helped me parent, and have shown me how to be a mom, I offer a heartfelt thank you and wish you all happiness on Mother's Day and always.

A Grandmother's Gift

In all my life, one of the best gifts I have ever received was from my Grandma Ethel (my mom's mom). It occurs to me now that I must scan the photos I have of my Grandma and write a post about her.

Anyway, back to the amazing gift she gave me. When her health was declining as she battled cancer, my Grandma went through all of her correspondence and sorted out what she had received from her grandchildren. After she passed away, I received a stack of cards and letters that I had sent her in my childhood up through the year she passed.

I cannot even begin to express how much joy there is for me in reading those childish, innocent letters to my Grandma, recounting to her the important events of my young life. In the one below, I tell her about my Dad taking me and my sister to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory for my birthday. I have always remembered that occasion because being in a large family, we did not go to the movie theater very often. Here my brief letter captures that event and also shows what surely must have been one of my first attempts at typing. This is from 1971; I was eight when I wrote it. Others, like this one, tell her about family activities like a vacation at the beach the summer of 1975. Oh, how I loved those vacations when we rented a beach house. I think on this occasion we had the house for a month and I loved being able to get up and walk out on the sand, spending the days swimming, building sand castles, and boogie boarding. What fun!

With her gift to me, my Grandma gave me back little details from my youth--a purse I loved and carried everywhere, a memory from her that my brother Gary is the one who made me laugh the most when I was a baby, or that my brother Dave gave me a $1 for my birthday and my sister gave me a pair of socks--that otherwise would have faded from my memory with the passing years. Her thoughtful gesture has rewoven the fabric of my life, putting pieces back together in such a meaningful and poignant way.

As I think about what a wonderful gift this was and will continue to be to me, it reminds me that I need to take the time to move away from the computer and pick up my pen and write some letters!

Thursday Thanks

Today I am thankful for my new friend, Oscar, who is pictured at left. He arrived yesterday courtesy of my aunt's partner, Bob, who handcrafted him. Bob wrote a note letting me know I can talk to Oscar whenever I want, but he said he is not sure if Oscar will talk back!

Every time I see my new friend, I will think about my Auntie Irene and her love, Bob. Theirs is a wonderful story of youthful love, separation, a lifetime with another, and reuniting in the sunset of their lives. Two people happier to be together cannot be found!

It's Raining Joy

Today the end of my work day found me walking from my office to the local library. Before I left work, it had been raining quite heavily, but the rain had mostly dissipated when I headed out. I walked for about 15 minutes to get to the library; most of the way the rain was light.

As I walked along, I felt the rain falling lightly on my face and it felt good. I was absorbing everything around me--the cars with their drivers rushing home, the crack of the bat on the ball at the ballpark, the birds chirping from their perches high in the trees--and I felt very happy and content. I thought about how good it was for me to be walking to the library instead of in my car and the realization that, on most days, I have my car at my disposal made me feel very appreciative of my place in life.

As I neared the library, the rain got heavier and I got wetter, but I heard those birds chirping and I felt the rain drops and my spirit felt lighter. After the last few years, which were fraught with professional and personal challenges, it was like having a veil lifted to realize that my universe has shifted back to one in which I feel joy in the simplest things in life. Each drop of rain was little reminder that there is joy to be found all around me, every day.

It was raining joy today!

I love cards!

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love greeting cards, stationery, pens, notes and all things having to do with writing and correspondence. I absolutely love greeting cards and can easily spend hours looking at cards and choosing the perfect card for the person who will receive it.

I have a stash of cards, note cards and stationery on hand, and still I think I need more. I love card stores, especially independent chains that carry unique cards. Last year when my sister and I were planning a bridal shower for my niece, I spent hours looking for the perfect invitations. Not finding what felt right to me, I eventually decided to make the invitations, which led to delightful hours choosing the paper, the envelopes, the labels, the embellishments, followed by designing and then making the invitations. If I ever make a career change, perhaps I should design and write greeting cards!

Today I had reason to spend time in the card aisle because I am sending a few cards for Mother's Day. I would love to send a card to every mom I know and admire, but these cards are limited to those who are closest to me. Do I go with the funny card, the sentimental card, the nostalgic card? Will my mom, sister, auntie, friend feel my love and appreciation when they hold this card in their hands? Will she know that it was chosen with care and attention to our relationship? Will she think about the fact that the card she holds in her hands was once in my hands?

For me, sending and receiving cards represents love and caring. It says to the receiver that I care about them and I am thinking of them. There might be a special occasion for sending a card, like Mother's Day or a birthday, or I might send one for no reason at all. But each time I send a card, I hope the person on the other end knows that the card they hold represents a little piece of my heart.

As the person receiving a card, I am absolutely tickled and delighted to get my mail and find a card. I know that some people actually toss their cards after reading them, but not me, no sirree! I keep the cards I get; they are little nuggets of love and caring from my friends and family. I have a treasure trove of cards dating back to my childhood. While I don't look at them often, every so often I go through them and remember the occasion for which they were sent.

For me, it's not just Hallmark cards that mean you care enough to send the very best (but what great branding), it is sending any card, note or letter which conveys to the person receiving it that somewhere in this great big world, there is another person thinking about them and sending loving thoughts their way!

Into the Gray

A few months back, my talented and magical hairdresser decided to use some darker colors when she foiled my hair. As it grew out, I decided that I should take a break from coloring my hair. This is a sacrifice because Babs is so talented and has always done an amazing job on my color.

Anyway, it has been interesting to let my hair get back to its natural color and to see just how much gray hair I have now. It's not a lot, just a few hairs here and there, but it doesn't bother me at all to have gray hair. (By the by, my dad has minimal gray hair and he is in his 70's. You can see a picture of him in this post.) I am okay with being middle-aged and I accept everything that comes with the mid-life territory. Okay, I could do without the creaky knees!

As I think about aging and graying, it occurs to me that the older I get, the more gray my there is in my life. Not in a dull, boring or dreary kind of way, but rather in the sense that the older I get, the more I realize that life is not divided into black and white, right or wrong, good or bad. There is a lot more gray than I realized when I was younger.

With the increased gray comes more love, acceptance, forgiveness, tolerance, understanding and openness to new ways of thinking and being and doing. So I will gladly keep on moving into the gray.

Six-Word Sunday

A
dog's

devotion
is

simply

priceless!

Pi & the Sky

Yesterday I got a henna tattoo of Pi.

Today I was enchanted with the beautiful, creamy blue sky!