When you're looking for "normal"!

Well, Covid has arrived and nothing normal is about to be our new normal.   With each day it will be those little snippets of normal, generally unnoticed , that will suddenly be shreds of evidence that some kind of normal still exists.
I headed upstairs,  with great intention.   I was on a mission...once I had placed a receipt upon my office desk, I headed down the hall toward the bedrooms.   I then came to a screeching halt. I could not remember what I had come upstairs for.    Throwing my hands into the air I stepped into our bedroom and while it was just barely even noon, decided while I was there I may as well turn down our bed.    The moment I pulled back the duvet and top sheet, tada...it donned on me, I had come up specifically for a particular pillow; not in this room, but HEY...pillow!    YAY, BINGO, the memory kicked in!

That trip upstairs or all the way to the basement, then drawing a blank as to why I made the trip....that's NORMAL!    I don't think any of us will take "normal" for granted again.   Normal, which we find "boring" at times, even that crazy annoying little "normal" thing, today, it's a wonderful thing!

Grateful.

The Bag Man

October 22, 2016

My daughter, she is oblivious to it or simply too immersed in the novel she has brought along with her.    Just inside the doors as we enter the train, a gentleman sits on a stretch of seats, taking up all three.
The gentleman's necessities for the ride, bags of newspapers, an exacto knife and a magnifying glass.   Among everything he has made sure to have brought along, he has allowed himself the luxury of a coffee.   He is very organized, I think to myself.    He sips first from the plastic lid of his coffee, the wee bit that has apparently been trapped there-waste not, want not.

Such a busy man and so much detail attended to, so much care taken in his tasks.   He smiles all the while, even as both of his elbows escape the confines of his shirt via gaping, seemingly matched holes on both arms where the material has worn completely away.   He stretches, arms wide, looks up and out the window, then down to a shiny silver watch he wears. As he stretches, arms up and then out again, you can't help but note very darkly stained and thin fabric at his armpits and wonder how long 'til they wear to become gaping holes as well; creating additional exposure to the world?

We're on our way to another country and yet right here at home there is no lack of interesting to take in, wonder about and learn from.

Home, away or on the street, the airport, all around us there is much to learn from, reach out to and make us think.   People we don't know but should at least acquaint ourselves with, because they are often so much more than what we assume to see them as.   I really wanted to know more about this gentleman, what was his story, and learn from him as well.    It seemed to me, by the smile he wore after sipping his coffee, he leads a pretty simple life and makes the best of what he is afforded, content with all that is, as is.  

Isn't that what we all want, simple contentment.




Footnote:   On this day we are on our way to Iceland, but at that moment there was plenty of interesting right before us and my sense of wonder had already kicked in before even having boarded the plane.

A Glass Act.

   Being kind has no particular season, it's doable any time of year, any day and most of all, just because it's a wonderful thing to be.   The world always needs more kindness.
 A real class act understands that the something that seems quite trivial to one person, may mean a great deal more to another.  
  Ten years ago Josh's Mom had purchased two glass tumblers from the dollar store, they had Pooh and Tigger on them and Josh quickly became very fond of them.  
Sometime before the great push of Christmas this year, one of those favoured glasses was accidentally broken.   Josh's mom knew while right away this may not be of crisis proportions but at some point in the near future, the lack of these glasses that Josh so adores, could be the centre of great upset and anxiety for him.    Josh is a funny, generally happy go lucky young adult,  with very specific likes and dislikes; those likes actually more very strong fixations.    Josh also happens to be autistic.
  Mom being the wise and proactive thinker she is, went into action.    Reaching out on Facebook to see if there was anyone whom might just have one or two of these rare glasses, which she might be able to purchase, she was met with great response.

  Josh's mom was both very touched and impressed with how quickly and how willingly people; strangers, who didn't know Josh,  jumped in to help, searching online with ebay, facebook marketplace, specialty shops and more. One kind soul in particular drove from Bridgenorth to drop off glasses.  Furthermore,  none of these people were seeking any payment for the glasses.   These people simply understood the need, empathized and wanted to be ensure any such   upset in the loss of these very cherished glasses was avoided.

  With so much happening in the world that readily demonstrates negative human nature, we seek stories of positive human nature.   In this instant it was a most pleasant surprise to have such a positively generous and kind response!   This is just one instance of the warmth and genuine kindness we all possess, and demonstrates the value in believing there is always hope for every one of us.
Be kind, Be a Glass Act!  

Everyone needs a little Silly

Keep a little silly in you, always.   <3 p="">
Remembering our darling Dash.   So loved, so missed.