“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.”
Rebecca – age 8
Lasting, real, deep love includes giving without expecting anything in return. It includes seeing and accepting the other person, whether it’s our child, our parent or life partner, as a blend of complicated, intertwined parts. It includes painting her nails because she has always liked having pretty toes. It includes understanding that even if they’re not perfect, he is doing it as an act of love.
I was recently interviewed by Cynthia Iorio for her podcast, “Love. Transform. Evolve.” One thing I talked about was that my sister and I maintain a geranium on our mother’s veranda. It seems like a small thing, but it isn’t. The joy our mother gets from seeing it out her window as she sits in her recliner is obvious. She often comments on the flower’s beauty and reminds us to water it. The geranium is a tangible, lovely link to all that she was able to do before, especially her passion for gardening and flowers. Hopefully, she knows it is a way that we show our love for her. – Maria
[[[[[ ]]]]]
It’s time to shine a bit of the spotlight on Kyle again. First of all, I think that part of the reason he is always present as the groceries are unloaded and put away is that cats do not like change. If their humans move furniture around or introduce new items into their environment, my experience is that cats will always supervise, sniff and probably rub themselves against the item to establish a familiar connection; this is part of my territory now.
The same holds true for groceries. As I’ve written before, and we continue to be amused by it, Kyle loves the smell of carrots. However, I think he also comes around because he is intrigued by the new fruits and vegetables coming into his environment and has to check them out. It also gives him something to do. – Maria
*****
I took this photo on one of my recent morning walks. I love this section of the route. The canopy of leaves provides some momentary shelter from the hot sun and UV rays and the air always feels a bit cooler and fresher under the trees.
One of my favourite trees is the birch tree. There is a birch tree on one of my mother’s neighbours front yard. It’s always been there. It’s lovely in the spring, summer and fall, but especially nice in the winter. When other trees look a bit sad and gloomy without their leaves, the birch tree still looks alive. I love the contrast of the white paper-like bark against the bright blue winter sky. It’s one of those small, but special things that adds a moment of joy to a cold winter day. Aside from the hard work trees do to purify our air, they also bring us a spark of colour and some small moments of wonder and pleasure.
Do you have a favourite trail to walk or a favourite tree? – Cris
((((( )))))
This is me at the beach on the Adriatic Sea, a few years ago. It was a perfect day! To be honest, I am not a “beach” person. I really do prefer a good hike and a day in the mountains to a day at the beach. But every once in a while it’s nice to lie in the sun and soak up the rays (as long as you’ve applied the correct sun screen!). The salty sea water is always an initial shock, especially for someone like me who lives in the middle of the North American continent, with only fresh water in close vicinity.
Although the sun’s rays can be dangerous, the warmth they provide can help to relieve our stress. They work like butter in a pan, slowly melting away our worries, even if only for a fleeting moment. I think it’s because the warmth helps to relax our muscles, which in turn, helps to dial down our stress levels. Relaxed muscles allows us to breathe easier. And deep breathing is a great way to release stress. That’s why hot towel rolls around the neck also help us to relax.
What do you do to relieve your stress? – Cris
<<<<< >>>>>
When I was a little girl, my neighbour, Alice, gave me this perfume bottle. I never used the perfume, but I have held onto the bottle. It’s one of those treasured tchotchkes that I will never part with because it reminds me of her. Alice was an elderly woman by the time I knew her. She had a career as a nurse and was a woman who was in charge. Her husband was a lovely man, kind and adored her. Alice often told me that I looked exactly like the cellist on The Lawrence Welk Show. – Cris
Leave a Reply