Thanksgiving

Gifts

For as much grief as any loss left me with, eventually, there were gifts that consoled and comforted my broken heart.  This time, it was Spanky, who loves to go for rides.  And we had many “rides”- 700 mile trip one way - to get us home.

I can’t talk about this without making a point here, about grief.  I have had many losses in life, both human, and pets, and things.  The grief for any of these losses is no more nor less valid and acknowledgable.

 I experienced my first human loss at age 9.  It was my uncle, whom died of cancer. He was a very kind man, a hard worker, a farmer.  I cried after the funeral, while we were all outside the church, expecting my siblings to make fun of me, like every time I cried before.  But they didn’t.  So I learned crying is allowed, without ridicule.

 I’ve had some major losses since then too, just like everyone in the world.   Just want you to know that it (loss) is survivable.  It does tend to get harder the older I get.  I’m not so sure I’ll be able to convince myself that it’s survivable as I get even older.  I have occasional thoughts of how I hate being left behind, and wondering when it will be my turn to go.

But lets go back to the gifts.   The Lord gives me gifts all the time.  He reminds me every day.  I don’t know why I get sad.  When I do, though, I try to focus on the gifts.

I have a new dog.  He and I are bonding, and he is filling a hole left by Stinky.  He comes when I whistle, and we walk together, in a safe place, with no cars and no people.

 He’s a card sometimes, and makes me laugh.

No Matter How Far I Roam, There is No Place Like Home.......

This place is for real......

and this is where I'm headed.

I've had my stints in many different places,

been halfway around the world.

This is the place I want to be for the last go-round.

"Country Roads, take me home!"

Needing Winter

Some people hate winter, and also constantly complain about the weather.

I grew up with hard winters, and thought nothing of it.  It was normal to get

snowed in at least once every winter, where we couldn't get out to the road.

If you did get to the road, you still couldn't go anywhere, because the country roads
weren't plowed yet, and they wouldn't be for about 2-3 days.

Some people get depressed in winter, or sad. After all, it all looks

so dreary.  

There's a beauty and a satisfaction in the dreariness though.

I have come to crave winter.

I take walks in it, no matter the temperature.

I take deep breaths of it.

There is no other season like it.

I have come to love winter, and to need it.

It feeds a part of my soul that nothing else can fill.