Month: November 2017

I KNOW ITS EARLY

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DSCF0437“I’m dreaming of a “White Christmas” This is the closest I will come to it.
Saturday afternoon and our park is being turned into Christmas time, via wreaths, sparkling trees, many mangers, and ever glowing lights. Right now it seems like it is really really early but no matter, out have popped all of the holiday decorations. I know it is still November but the Christmas fairies are out in full force. Some of the lights were never taken down after last year, and are just now being turned back on.
You would think that people would be turned on by reports of snow or ice in the far off north, but here it is no matter. When you live in a park of seniors with nothing more to do than just enjoy each day as it comes, you realize that you don’t need any excuse or reason to decorate early.
Why not enjoy the festivities, we say? Got to get ready for the Santa Claus parade, and the Christmas choir, and the special gatherings of friends, and we have a whole month to do it. We can fight the crowds early in the day to do our shopping or we can just go online, and enjoy all of the variety of gifts that are available to us. And they will be delivered either to our door or someone we love.
What fun! It seems like people are in a great mood here, laughing or smiling as they greet each other. We may look back in our minds at the huge Christmas parties where it was us that did all the work, cooking, cleaning, and all that good stuff, but everything has its season and we have turned it over to younger hands, who will enjoy it just as we did. We will walk around the darkened streets, gasp at the marvel of the many displays of lights and joy, or some may drive cars or golf carts. Our park streets are filled with people showing each other the true meaning of Christmas, love and compassion for all.
So Merry Christmas, everyone. If you should be lucky enough to come upon our park at night for the next few weeks, enjoy. The beautiful displays are there for all of us.

This is annoying!

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Would you believe? Someone named Rodriguez Kennedy has stolen my Facebook account. Just taken the whole thing over, photos, articles, friends. So if you see this I have a new account at least temporarily, under VA Rider. I am looking for my family and friends to refind me. I have ten plus years of my life in that account and I am really upset. How could they just change the name? I keep on saying, this too shall pass, but right now it is difficult. And all of my pictures. I have reported it to FB.

THE DREAM

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img_0055Early this morning I had a dream. Not just an ordinary dream, destined to enter my sleep, erupt my thought patterns and leave just as swiftly as it had come.
No, this was a full-fledged dream, and as I awoke, I remembered the warmth and the glorious feeling of it all surrounding me in my warm bed. You see, in my dream I had a brand new baby, she was mine, and I held her and felt the incredible miracle of how a brand new baby feels, the cuddling and the softness of her skin, and the delight of being a mother. I marveled at how big she was and remembered that all of my babies, all boys, had been so big. But this was a girl and I was overcome with joy! I realized that we must give her a name and at first I thought of Elizabeth, my favorite name as a teenager. But then I thought of my mother, and the name became Leona, in my mind. My mothers middle name had been Leone. That was it. I hugged her and said “my sweet Leona”, and knew the joy of being a parent again as I held her and caressed her. I felt the certainty of it all and never realized I was dreaming.
But then I began to wake up. Remembering how vivid this experience had been to me, I began to wonder. Was it a dream or was it an experience? As I sit right here writing I can still know that something amazing happened to me, and in my mind I can still feel and see it. Who is to say what really happened? I know that dreams usually fade away, but I also know that writing this down will keep it fresh in my memory. In this strange and mysterious world of ours how are we to know what is real and what is imaginary? Years from now the scientists may tell us for sure that dreams fortell our experiences, either past or future. Maybe I was remembering an event of long ago in another lifetime.
What triggers a dream? Could it be all of the pictures of babies I see every day on Facebook, being held by granddaughters or grandsons or nieces? I don’t know.
All I know is, it felt so vivid and so real that now I know I must keep watch wherever I go in my daily life. Maybe this warm and beautiful little girl exists somewhere watching over us and I was lucky enough to hold her in my arms for a little while. But I will be sure to remember my sweet Leona, wherever she may be.

THE REMINDER

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Just got home from our weekly trip to the grocery store here in Florida, and I am beat! I didn’t think about the fact that the first week of the month the store is loaded with social security and food stamp recipients until I was already there. We had gone early hoping to find a half empty store – NO such luck.
Thankful for a cart to hang unto, and Bob to fill the moving counter with our many items, I stood in line behind an older woman who was doing it all alone because she had a husband with her who was riding a cart and couldn’t help. I was glad that Bob was so helpful and made it easier for me. But as I watched the woman doing it alone I was reminded of my mother. Almost twenty years ago when I was in my early sixties I had abruptly come to the realization that my own mother needed help going to the grocery store. My stepfather was unable to help anymore. Realizing that mother needed help and was too proud to ask for it was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. I just hadn’t noticed what was happening, and I felt such sadness that I hadn’t realized she needed me in a new way. From then on it seems like we grew a lot closer, as women learning to understand each other better.
So time has moved on, and I am so fortunate that I have a companion who helps with just about everything. But I am writing this to the people who are in their 50’s and 60’s, and who have friends and family who may be way too proud to ever ask for a helping hand. We all are going to get older and somewhat slower as time goes on, but sometimes it is hard to admit to others that the time has come when we need some help. We owe so much to our elders, who have helped to make us the people we are today. And a smile and a friendly arm can bring so much pleasure to both the giver and the receiver. Maybe even a shopping trip or some yard work would be helpful.
A friendly reminder from me now can keep you from ever being as unaware as I was with my own dear mother some 20 years ago. And the good feeling that you give yourself will last for a long time! Remember, our karma, our spirit, will follow us and smooth our own path throughout our eventful lives.