Christmas is something you carry inside your heart. It does not depend on presents or carols or exceptional food, but all of those things help intensify the feelings of “Good Will Towards Men.” However, it is a time for gathering together. It is a time for Christmas Eve church service attended by the whole family. Time for relatives to fly into town and meet up with their cousins. A joyous time for reunions and bonding with family. So many people…
Charlottesville is a town filled with fear. I have never seen anything like it. People are afraid. Children are afraid of their grandparents, and parents are afraid of their children. How on earth did things become so twisted? Using the excuse of a disease that is so non-lethal, it kills less than 1% of those who contract it. And they are mostly people with one or more co-morbidities. “They” scare us with tales of hospitals full of patients, refrigerated trucks…
“You have inspired me!” She said the magic words. I was feeling a bit discouraged about my “reach”. I had been wondering if anybody cared about my message. I received an email from a woman whom I know only slightly. She wrote those words to me. “YOU have inspired me!” which encouraged me to keep going. When someone says “you inspired me” or variations on that theme, it warms my heart. Some women have even said, “You changed my life.” Those are…
Be grateful for all you have at Thanksgiving. And don’t be afraid.
A friend of mine got the COVID-19 virus. He was very ill. He was in hospital for some time. It is taking him a long time to recover. I am so glad that he is getting better all the time. It is terrible that he, of all people, got a bad case of the virus. He writes of his fear of infecting others. He speaks of the virus as if it were a fatal illness for almost anyone who catches…
When events seem discombobulated and people feel disoriented, it interferes with the energy surrounding us. On the day after an election with no clear winner, it is good to be older, wiser, and calmer. And that is certainly true for me.I remember the first election for which I was old enough to vote. I was passionate about it. It seemed to be the most critical thing in the world. If my candidate lost, the country as we knew it would…
Today dawned cold and damp with a steely sky and bright leaves beginning to make a real show of autumn color. Finally, fall seems ready to give us a look at the world in orange, yellow, rust, and moss green, with occasional patches of the brilliant red leaves of the “burning bush” shrubs in the back of my house. Light from the hidden morning sun glinted off of the pond far below my house. At noon wood was laid for…
The sun beating in my windows woke me with intense golden light. It is such a pleasure to wake up that way. Full of gratitude is my state every morning because I love being here in this house.My room faces east and overlooks a brick terrace that borders the whole length of the back of my house. A lovely view of fields, surrounded on the far edges with woods peacefully extends out from there. The trees are beginning to turn,…
What did you believe when you were small? Did you like yourself? Or were you like me, scared to say or even feel that you liked yourself because that seemed conceited. They warned us about appearing to be “conceited” because that was arrogant. It was a terrible sin. I knew that some people said they “like themselves best.” But I felt sorry for them. It seemed like the proper thing would be to say that you liked others more than…
EVERYONE takes chances every day. Getting into a car is dangerous. When did we become so scared? Don’t watch Television. It is a colossal brain-washing operation. These “worst-case scenarios” are MEANT TO PARALYZE people with fear. DO NOT FALL FOR IT. Please get back into life. Keep your own health good. Watch your OWN immune system. Stop trying to “fix it” for everyone else. You are causing a disaster for so many by your fear. Get the country up and…
There is so much negative and wrong information in the news today. It is vital to stop and take note of all the good. Yesterday I had an early class and so woke before sunrise. How often do we appreciate the beauty of the dawn? Even before the sun comes into view, the sky begins its chameleon dance. The shades of grey become silver and suddenly start to glisten. Embedded in the silver are streaks of golden lights; molten, evolving…
Do you sleep with your dogs? If not, why not? It is the greatest pleasure to have a warm body next to your own with absolutely no agenda except to love you. I have always slept with my dog since I was ten years old and got my first dachshund, Rowena. She was a smooth haired black and tan standard-sized dachshund puppy. My parents bought a pair of them from a friend. One was for my sister, and she named…
September 2, 2020 Recently someone posted a question on Facebook. The question was “Would you fly an American flag in your yard?” My answer was an assured YES! Do you have a flag flying in your yard? Do you have any doubts or reservations about flying the flag publicly? Almost as long as I can remember, there has been a flag flying in front or back of the house. No matter where or whatever house in which I lived.As a…
This is a message I received from a school, which I won’t name: “Following our listening forums with Black alumni and families and similar sessions with other alumni and families of color, we continue our series…Forums for White Students, Families, and Alumni.” The horrific police shooting on Sunday of Jacob Blake makes clear that these forums and the work of our Task Force on Racism, Understanding, and Belonging are all the more imperative. We aim to gather perspectives, experiences, and…
Stop being so afraid. Do something risky. Believe you are right.
