WAITING!!!

I. AM. SO. TIRED. OF. WAITING. How about you? It's funny how, even though we have spent several months holding our breath, the world continues in its rounds, undisturbed.

Today the wind is brisk, the sky is crystal blue. The air is tinted with cold. My sweatshirt is not warm enough. We waited for the end of the summer's heat and, whoops, it is really and truly gone. Today, a walk will feel bracing and even a bit exciting. Hold on to your hats and your children. This wind might steal them away.

The leaves parade down the center of the street, a colorful substitute for the parades that we had to cancel this season. Trees that held tight to their dying leaves so far will have to give them up. Get our your rakes. Leaf peeping and raking and jumping time is here.

Tomorrow is a biggie and although Election Day will come and go, the waiting won't end in 24 hours. No, we will have to "wait and see" if a transition will happen and how it will all turn out.

2020 turned into the Year of Waiting - waiting for a cure for COVUD-19, waiting for a return to sanity, waiting for people to learn to get along - while keeping their distance,  - waiting for peace, justice and "the American way" or what we hope the "American way" is. 

While we wait, let's take the time:

 to reach out to our loved ones, 

help a neighbor bring in her recycling bins, 

smile with our eyes since our mouths are hidden,

write an email to a friend,

thank the postal workers for struggling on,

take some food to the food bank,

give a warm coat to a shelter,

bake a loaf of bread,

have a cup of tea,

and give thanks that we have things in our lives worth waiting for.

 

Sunday Selfie - a day late

Today, I picked up my mother (93) and my Aunt  Mary (96) from their volunteer work counting the Sunday collection at their church. I drove around the block to my aunt's house.

"Don't get out!" Aunt Mary insisted. "Your mother can help me to the door."

I listen to my elders. I stayed in the car. I watched as my mother supported her big sister, step by step, up the walk. Two old women, gray and slow, side by side, walked together, as I imagine they have walked their entire lives.

I feel privileged to have seen the abiding sisterly love between them. It's unspoken.

Then, having delivered her sister safely to her home, my mother made her way, more quickly and surely back to the car. I drove her to her home where we wrestled empty recycling bins back into their places in the carport.

It is Fall.  We notice the empty places in our garden. We anticipate shorter days, colder nights and darkness. We look forward to loss and if we can stretch our imagination, to the growth that covers the bare spaces.

 Still, today is a good day because, for now, I still can watch these two sisters walk together.

Fall Friday Freedom

Today I had nothing I needed to get done. And so I have stayed in my sweat pants all day. I watched tv with my husband, did some exercises, emailed friends, and read. And I felt FREE!!
I like this feeling - of no schedule, no deadlines. I could get used to it.

By 2:30 I was feeling slightly stressed because my work-self kept reminding me of all the things I SHOULD be doing. So I did something. Guilt flew away. Bye bye guilt.

It feels like full Fall today, my favorite season. I am reading The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly about an 11 -year old girl on a farm in Texas in 1898. I just started it. Her grandfather is a naturalist and encourages Calpurnia, at a time when girls still only learn to embroider, play the piano and bake. He is horrified when Calpurnia has no idea what physics is.
In the book, it is summer - Texas summer - a nice counterpoint to the chill of Fall and the shortening days.

I had half a thought that I would say something deep in this post but today I don't have to do anything - so this is it for now.