Random Acts of "Kindness"

Archive for January, 2016

AGE

In the past, my age didn’t bother me. I actually had to stop and think — “How old am I?” when asked my age. Depending on the day I felt anywhere from 10 to 100. Sadly that time has passed for the time being. I’m feeling my age and I DON’T LIKE IT! I don’t know what specifically has caused that change in my attitude. Depression — possibly. Too much weight? The tornado? The damage to my shoulder — unable to exercise like I used to? It could be one of the above or all might be adding to the mix.

I used to be able to lift a box of water off of the display and put it in my grocery cart. They have increased the size of their package from 36 to 40 16 oz bottles. I don’t remember if I could lift the 36 but I know I can’t lift the 40. I wait for a stronger male to assist me if my husband isn’t with me. Recently a younger female asked if I wanted a case and easily picked it up and put it in my cart. I remembered when I could do that. Of course that was before I injured my shoulder. I’m grateful that my shoulder seems to be healing — I have more range of motion without pain but I still don’t have the strength back.

Reaching for stuff is becoming harder. I’m shrinking — an inch or two is gone. Stuff on the top shelf or at the back is next to impossible to reach. I look for a tall person. At home I use my grandchildren’s step or a ladder. I’m rearranging my shelves. The day will come in the not to far future when my grandchildren will be taller than me. Stretching exercises are NOT helping me to keep my height.

There are some things that I can do. I can lose weight. (Right now it loves me and doesn’t want to leave.) I can exercise more and strengthen my arms. I can concentrate on the positive things in my life and not spend as much time on the negative. Some things are impossible — I CANNOT REGAIN MY YOUTH OR MY HEIGHT.

I constantly meet people who are in their 90’s with good quality of life. That is my goal — not necessarily reaching 90 — God’s plan, not mine.

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NO ICE

I am EXTREMELY THANKFUL this morning. I will admit that I was very stressed yesterday. The forecast was for rain, snow, than dropping temperatures — into the teens with below zero wind chills. Two weeks ago, we had rain, sleet and temperatures that dropped into the twenties. After two weeks, we still have remnants of that mess on sidewalks, streets and alleys. I was grounded for a day — (advised to stay inside) pavements were very icy and restricted for a few more days. I was very worried that we were repeating that mess. And when I am stressed I nibble continually.

I’ve written how I must be extremely needy since I receive HELP on a regular basis. Yesterday was a good example. In the morning I opened the bible to Psalm 146 — Trust in God the Creator and Redeemer. Queen of Angels reading was titled From Sickness to Health. Did that stop me from worrying? NOPE! It wasn’t only the weather, family matters were also causing their own concerns. But looking back on the day, I have to admit that I wasn’t nibbling from morning to night. I made a pot of chili, I took Robin for two walks while the pavement was wet but not icy. I walked to the store to get something I needed.

Today, the wind chill was below zero. I dug out my heavier coat and put on my boots. Robin got to wear a coat too. My husband had put salt on our outside steps the night before. I didn’t know how far I would be able to walk — staying upright, not falling was a concern. As soon as I stepped onto out sidewalk, “THANK YOU!” exploded from my mouth. NO ICE! The storm went further north so we didn’t get as much snow as forecast. The wind must have dried the streets, sidewalks, and alleys. There was still some ice, but not as much as I feared. Robin and I were able to take our normal walk.

This morning when I opened the bible I read from Psalm 84: “happy are those who trust in the Lord.” Queen Of Angels — repeated the theme “to trust God totally.” AND I DO but I also know that it is God’s plan, not mine! He/She could easily have planned that I would wake to a city covered in ice. And I would TRUST that I would survive the mess — hopefully not falling and causing damage to body parts.

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STUMPED

There are times when everything I try DOES NOT work. Today is one of those times. Years ago, when I first wrote To Pap, With Love — I filed for a state tax number. I thought that I would sell some of the books myself. Actually I did, but the number that was sold was less than 50, possibly much less.

Years have passed and I have made no personal sales but I still needed to file the sales tax form. Since the amount of money I owed was zero, I was informed to file electronically. Trying to do that today wound up with nothing but frustration. I finally got to the right screen, after many tries but my user name and password didn’t agree. If this was supposed to be easy, I missed a step. I will have to get help from a real person. But since this is the weekend, I will have to wait until Monday. I’m hoping that since I’ve had so many challenges I no longer need to file. Wouldn’t that be lovely!

OFTEN when I’m blocked, I’m not supposed to do what ever it is I’m trying to do. Maybe I’m cooking and nothing is going right. It is aggravating when I ruin the dish, or burn or cut myself. Maybe I’ll spill stuff all over the counter or floor. Sometimes I can determine the reason for the mishap. Often it just becomes one of the great mysteries.

Recently I was trying to phone a friend — the call didn’t go through — twice. Then I tried a different person and received their answering machine. Not giving up, I tried a third only to learn that I was calling at a bad time. I finally decided that I wasn’t supposed to be on the phone. I don’t know why — it is another of the mysteries.

I have written a couple of thought rambles about our dog, Robin. We have had many dogs in our lifetime, Robin’s personality beats all of them. She is definitely unique. I think that I wrote that she lead our son upstairs because he came down without his shoes. He needed his shoes to take her for a walk. I had been closing our bedroom door to keep the noise of my TV from disturbing anyone else. Robin got mad at me, she thought I was keeping her out. It took a few days before I was forgiven. She opens the bathroom doors to see who is inside. Just checking! Recently she got mad at my husband — he is her person. He took her for a walk and wouldn’t let her eat something she found. When they got home, she turned her back on him. He tried to give her a favorite treat but she turned her face away. It took some time before she forgave him.

Life is busy. My husband has enrolled with the Veterans Administration and that has added more appointments to the calendar. Many of the appointments are at the hospital, 30 miles from home. We had a lovely, warm winter. IT IS CHANGING. Rain, turning to snow, turning to temperatures in the teens will turn to ice. Of course, none of the appointments are life threatening and we can always cancel. The next two weeks we will be gone more than we will be home. Our Christmas tree is still up and I don’t know when I will have the time to take it down. Valentines? Easter eggs?

My “friends” edit my rambles — if I share something that shouldn’t be said — the ramble isn’t saved. I guess this one is okay — no trouble posting it.

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TOUCH

I’ve read that Mother Theresa had one visitation that so impressed her that it influenced the rest of her life. I guess I have to admit that I’m challenged or very needy. Either that or my current job is that I’m supposed to write — extremely challenged to come up with a topic or a title so I receive LOTS of HELP. For which I’m EXTREMELY grateful — most of the time. I’ll admit that GROUNDED was challenging.

What am I ranting on about now, you may ask. I’ve learned that often when I share a story, it awakens a memory with another that they were afraid to share, keeping it a secret, afraid they will be thought of as NUTS. Well here I go again.

I’ve often admitted that for the most part, I neither see nor hear “my friends in high places.” Occasionally something occurs where I experience a presence. Right after TO PAP, WITH LOVE was published, I was downtown, planning an advertising campaign. I thought of going back to a store that I had passed that advertised a sale. I felt a touch on my shoulder, urging me to go forward, skip the store. It was good advice — TO PAP never became a best seller but it helped many people. The book is still available on line.

After my husband retired — his plan was that we would sell our home and move to the country. I was walking down a main street by our home when I felt my feet root into the ground. A message that we should remain in our home for the time being.

Recently I felt a dog brush against my thigh. Looking down Robin was no where around. I have MANY four footed friends on the other side. Trying to guess which one paid me a visit is impossible. I’m sure that one or more wander with me on a regular basis. After Cuyler passed all of a sudden I was the Pied Piper of dogs. Dogs that were strangers wanted my attention. They often distressed their owners by the way they carried on. And that might explain Robin’s behavior. Before she always wanted to play with dogs we are passing. Now she growls and barks — protecting me? She isn’t happy when strange dog scents are on my hands when I come home after wandering without her. Dogs are able to sense many things that are mysteries to two footed humans. Recently a service dog at the hospital indicated that I was his friend. The owner finally agreed that I could pet him after he saw how his dog was acting. A neighborhood poodle also thought I was his long lost friend.

We live in a good neighborhood but sadly the world is changing — and not for the better. I’ve learned that I’m NEVER ALONE and I must admit that it is a comforting feeling. I will also admit that I’m not about to wander were my “helpers” are challenged.

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GROUNDED

CAR IS BACK. FINALLY! We didn’t get our car back on Wednesday — but the mechanic phoned on Thursday and told us they found and corrected the problem. There was a crack in the vacuum hose, which didn’t show up on the diagnostic programs.

I went to the Christmas Song Concert without my husband. He was concerned about the car. Since I like to sit at a table so that I can stretch my legs, I invited a woman to sit with me. This was the first time she attended the concert, her husband of over 48 years passed last year. After the concert and a few of my stories, she mentioned that she was glad she sat with me.

Meanwhile, I was wondering what else I had to do before I got my wings back. Christmas was coming, I had shopping to do. The first thing was to get my husband’s insulin. The next day — “Hello Stores. Did you miss me?”

We celebrate Christmas a week earlier so our youngest daughter and family can be home in their own house for Christmas Eve. Sadly this year, both my daughter and her husband were sick. They hadn’t planned to come but life intervened and plans changed again. My granddaughter forgot her coat at home. Thursday, the temperature was 52 degrees. The it dropped, down below freezing. Her mother and I went shopping for a new coat and thankfully found one on sale. The outing wasn’t good for my daughter though, she felt worse. She visited an Immediate Care office and was very pleased with the service. New, stronger prescription — she felt better when they left for home. It doesn’t hurt a mother to take a few days off, it didn’t hurt me to be able to give her that time.

My daughter wasn’t the only one who was grounded. A good friend of mine phoned to share that she fell, fracturing her hip. SHE CAN’T GO SHOPPING WITH ME! She had planned to decorate for a party, she had planned to attend another party the next day and God laughed. She has already had her operation. But rehab will take a while. I told her that we can go shopping with her walker. It will fit in my car.

I’m visiting two of my friends at the hospital today. I’m bringing a tin of Swedish cookies to each. Sally has been in the hospital for a few weeks, but my life was busy, then I was grounded. Sally’s 94 birthday is tomorrow and she is finally being released. I found a Christmas card from her from last year this morning while I was looking for a cookbook.

I’ve mentioned many times that I have friends in high places. The other Sunday, I got a glass of apple cider vinegar and water. I only was able to drink half the glass before my arm hit it, and spilled. I got another glass, my arm hit it again, spilling all over the floor. I didn’t get a third glass, put my coat on instead and headed for Mass.

Our youngest daughter and family have headed for home with their children and dogs. Our house is too quiet. They had their Christmas elf with them. Our Christmas tree, archway and pillars had banners counting the days until Christmas. That morning I opened Queen Of Angels to Angels as Playmates and Confidants. My father’s memorial card marked the page. “Hi DAD!”

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