It's About Today

 Have any of you noticed how the days are growing shorter?

No?

Well, let me share.

As I type this, it is Halloween.

I suppose it is officially the Holiday Season.

While I very much enjoy the holidays,

each in their turn,

I enjoy each day for what it is.

The made up hoopla prior to each of these 

promoting early and excessive spending

isn't the part I appreciate.

I mentioned in my last post that we keep it

pretty simple as far as gifts go.

Source

There were some wonderful comments.

(Thank you for each of those)

My thinker got stuck on that bit.

I wasn't sure why but seeing the Halloween costumes,

the Thanksgiving paper plates, and the Christmas décor

all being presented for sale at the same time

might have had something to do with it.

Please don't get me wrong.

I like seeing little ones dressed up as puppies

 or superheroes or goblins.

I love the idea of giving thanks for our blessings

as we sit down to a feast with our loved ones.

And I very much appreciate celebrating

the birth of our Savior.

Each of these is really a celebration of the heart.

We can enjoy each day just as much

as the day set on the calendar telling us to do so.

I think everyday last week was

"Look at the jewel-coloured leaves day."

Today is "Blessings falling in drops from Heaven day."

Tomorrow is looking like another of those.

We've not had real rain for quite a while so it's much needed.

It's cool and blustery

so tomorrow might be a "Yummy bowl of hot soup day" also.

I'm not saying all this simply to be a PollyAnna.

It's to be a rebel of sorts.

You already knew I was a rebel though right?

We don't need to be told when or how to celebrate.

We can do our own thing.

I had a friend in college who's family 

went skiing for Easter each year instead of looking for eggs.

They were actually very involved in their church,

so this surprised me, but it's what their family did.

It's the perfect example.

They didn't do what others did or expected.

They were/are a wonderful family and did their own thing.

We can each do that.

Go ahead and celebrate the day you are given

since we aren't guaranteed a tomorrow.

How you celebrate is entirely up to you.

Have a cup of the good coffee or tea.

Allow yourself an extra 10 minutes to read in a favorite book.

Go for a walk around the block.

Or just look out the window and appreciate the beauty.

The celebration can be internal, 

in your heart.

Perspective is a wonderful thing.

Well, being a rebel is sorta fun too.

Happy, Merry, Jolly Today

(and tomorrow too).

Golden People

 We've had quite the schedule for the past month or two.

It's autumn which is harvest in our neck of the woods.

Last month started off with a trip to California for my grandmother's funeral.

She actually passed last year.

Her only request was a traditional Catholic funeral.

Well, it wasn't exactly traditional due to circumstances.

Her graveside service was last year, and we only this year

11 months after her passing were able to hold her funeral.

In a way, it kinda worked out.

She was 96, only a few months shy of 97 and was ready.

Our grieving was done, and we were able to gather

and celebrate her life and cherish the time spent with family.

It was a pretty small service.

She outlived most of her peers.

My aunt had asked us each to jot down a few things we remembered

or loved about her so they could put together a eulogy.

One of the things I mentioned was

she would wipe off and reuse a paper plate, save a tablespoon of food,

and be among the first to give if someone was in need.

I love that!

She always took care of her things.

She washed her car, windows, floors, etc. and

kept things in the best condition she could.

She grew up during the depression so knew the true value of things.

She never had a lot, but made the most of what she had.

When my aunt asked if there was anything in particular I wanted,

I didn't really have an answer - just my Grammy.

My aunt is wonderful, and I can say such things.

I told her if there was something silly like Grams favorite wooden spoon

or something she used and liked, I wouldn't mind something like that.

For my birthday, she sent me the fork and knife in the photo.

It was actually my great grandmother's then my grandmother's.

Both were very right handed so the left tine is worn.

I was young when she passed, but I remember my great grandma too.

I would sit on her lap, and she would let me have a lemon drop.

We almost never had candy so it was quite a treat.

This little set was the perfect gift, more valuable to me than gold.

And, yep, I use them.

They went directly in the cupboard with the salt and pepper

so I have them handy when I need them.

(Uncle Ray & Aunt Betty - brother and sister)

They are a wonderful reminder to me to take care of things so they'll last

which is kinda funny since for the past year or two,

I've been on a mission to have things in order and good condition.

I've had two chairs repaired which wasn't cheap,

but they are both antiques and were due.

They should both now last another 100 years.

I always seem to have a mend & repair pile.

I no sooner get the bulk of it dealt with when more goes in.

I've also been trying to keep the car up, the appliance clean and in good repair, and

the little things attended to if that makes sense.

There's more to all this though.

You see, there were a couple folks at Grammy's funeral of special importance.

Well, everyone there was important, but. . .

Uncle Ray and Aunt Betty were there.

Grammy's two remaining siblings.

Uncle Ray just turned 99 and is doing pretty good.

Aunt Betty is 97 and doesn't remember very well, but otherwise okay.

Grammy was between them in age.

I don't exactly get to California very often

so it's tough telling if I will ever get to see them again just due to age.

The time spent visiting with them and the stories about them

are what makes a family and keeps those ties snug.

When someone begins a story with,

"I'll tell ya something I can't tell most normal people,"

you know you're in the right place.

I know not everyone has a close family,

but a closely knit group of friends and community can still be had.

I think that's one of the things that's been difficult for me

over the past year or so: everyone seems so distant (not just physically).

The reminder being, we need to take care of our family

just like we need to take care of our things.

We need our family - by blood or by choice.

If you do have elderly folks in your clan,

maybe pay them a visit or a call.

That chat might just be worth more than gold.

And the memory made might just last a good long time.

As we head into the holidays,

I'd like to wish all of my blog friends here

a very blessed time.

~Happy Thanksgiving~