Our Seasons of Life........

In the spring, we're born and blossom, growing, becoming...

Into the summer, develops a rose, as we learn and become adult, bringing life into life...

Autumn, is simple. We rest and enjoy. Memories are golden as life is remembered well.

Into our winter, where we shall curl up, find comfort as our lives have been. Preparing only to become that rose once again that sleeps beneath the snow.

Seasons Of Life.....

Almost every day, I think of a little verse that I have at home upon the wall in my kitchen. It sounds so simple, yet to me it is life’s whole process for each of us summed up. The small verse is quite known. It is this:

"To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven".

I work as a social worker in mostly end of life care. I am an advocate for those that for whatever reason, cannot speak their needs. I am their voice. I comfort those that need a word, a hug, their hand held, to let each know they are still cared for in this world; that they are not alone; that they matter. And, to listen and to hear each person even without their words ever having to be spoken.

I work mostly with elderly yet there are many whose life’s seasons seem to be unfolding too quickly, least in my own thoughts.

Life is amazing. Yet, how blind we do become to the amazements and the miracles all around us, each and every day, because we so easily take life and all in it for granted. After all, we wake up each morning and so easily get caught up into our own routine of things. How blind we do become to so much else around us. As if our sight is only straight ahead on our individual paths, makings for a journey that lacks all that it is meant to be and all that it could be.

How easily we can get so hung up on life’s petty, negatives that actually bind us, and robs us of the joys that are there before us if only we pushed away such thoughts as jealousies and resentments and revenge. Because, those can only make the “seasons” go by that much faster and without the beauty that seasons bring us. At times, short in duration, those emotional thoughts are considered normal in all of us, to come and go, yet held onto without relief; such negative defects rob us of life.

One of the rewards in my job is when I sit with another to do an “assessment” and I am able to learn of another’s life. I am not required to go into the extremes of it, as I do, but I find such worth in knowing fully of another’s life and each passage of it. It is as if one nears the end of their final season, and looks back to tell of each season as they existed and how it is through it. It brings to me a greater understanding of life. I think of my own stages that I’ve gone through, the passages; the seasons of life.

There was a book I read, long ago. How powerful it was to show the greatness in each of us. “The Greatest Salesman in the World” by Og Mandino (has nothing to do with selling things or learning to sell). It’s an amazing book that tells of life and each one of us, what we’ve made of, and in the end there is a description of each of us as the miracles that we are in an unbelievable way of words that appears as a beautiful, explosive grand finale of what we are made of.

I see that miracle daily in my work and so many times I had thought to myself how rewards are so few and far in-between, yet that is another example of being blind to what is around me.

There are times also, I need to become “refocused”; clear my mind. I get silly with co-workers; sometimes a bit crazy and I always blast my music all the way home. I’m grateful for the distance (unless its snowing). My time off is precious to me as is being spontaneous when I am able to be, without a schedule, as work is a schedule. Quite time is priceless; silence is golden.

I recently again looked up and read the entire poem of that little saying that hangs from my wall. Again, well known, but I’d like to share it still. Actually, its not a “poem” at all but verses from the bible, which is most beautiful, meaningful and certainly teaches:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

To everything there is a season, and

a time to every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, and

a time to die;

a time to plant, and

a time to pluck up

that which is planted;

A time to kill, and

a time to heal;

a time to break down, and

a time to build up;

A time to weep, and

a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and

a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and

a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and

a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and

a time to lose;

a time to keep, and

a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and

a time to sow;

a time to keep silence, and

a time to speak;

A time to love, and

a time to hate;

a time of war; and

a time of peace.

So often, I have thought, believed and said “everything is for a reason, even if we don’t understand what that reason is, at least at this time. Perhaps some day we will. It has helped me move through difficult times and it has helped to heal. It brings acceptance, for just as it is, at any time. As does these verses.

I see it as this; we born into spring, to bloom and become independent, becoming full as we enter into summer; mature and adult. Then the autumn of our lives as colorful in its restful stage, perhaps retirement, families grown and moved on, simpler before we enter our winter, to fade, to die as though that rose beneath the snow, that with the sun's love in the spring will become again..a rose.

Returning....

It’s been a long time, it seems, since I’ve last wrote here. Yes, life moves along too quickly and I know that I seem to get caught up in the whirl wind of it, all too often. I think its time that I get back to my writing here because it was and is important to me, and like so many things, I’ve slacked off. This place has been an outlet to me for quite awhile now and it’s given back to me much more than I could express.

Long ago, I use to enjoy writing. It was before we all had personal computers, so in many notebooks with pen in hand, I’d write. I enjoyed writing short stories and I enjoyed writing poetry. There were many journals also in which I enjoyed keeping a diary. It was to me, a safe outlet of thoughts and feelings. A place to express without worry of another’s opinion or interruptions by another’s own ideas. Though over time, and the busyness of life as shared here, I stopped writing. It became a chore for me to write; a “job”. I had lost interest until a few years ago but never took the time to actually just sit and let thoughts flow and ideas be expressed, through writing them. I had wished then, that I could get the motivation back to involve myself once again through words of expression and meaning, at least to me. Then, I discovered this here and at a time I needed to express myself. It healed me in many ways. Some of those ways noticeable enough to be commented on, in a positive light. So, I need to return here, if only for myself.

Tomorrow is the first day of summer. Every day, either morning or evening, I walk my property just to see what is new for the day. There is always something that begins to open and blossom. Each area of garden is like watching a fire works display in slow motion. It’s most beautiful and exciting to me in ways it never was before. I left for work this morning noticing before I left that the rose bushes had buds nearing their time of birth and I return home this late afternoon, my eye catching the brightness of red petals even before I drove in. The bright orange-yellow day lilies have opened and many more colors are nearing to do the same. My “Mother’s garden” also begins to fill in. So, even in the craziness of the day, I do manage to take the time to stop and admire what is around me, to stop and smell the roses.

There is so much I’ve wanted to do that I haven’t found or taken the time for. I think the time has come to just do. Stay tuned.

Thoughts...

We look backward too much and we look forward too much; thus we miss the only eternity of which we can be absolutely sure – the eternal present, for it is always now. - William Phelps

Saturday Night Slumber Party....

Again, another spare of the moment, spontaneous act of the twisted sisters pans out to be positive! A rainy night, Barb comes over to watch a movie together. Guess which movie? That stupid, silly one again “Little Man”. We just wanna laugh like we did over vacation, once again. So, we set ourselves up; munchies and drinks and get comfortable. We did laugh again! Though, this time I gave her the stupid movie to take home with her. After a brief intermission, we watch another movie at Barb’s recommendation; “Jarhead”, which I had bought but had not seen yet. What an excellent movie! Really made me think about what I will refer to now as a forgotton war..”Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield”. Remember that? Seems we don’t hear much about that war, nor the men and women who went to the desert of Iraq and Kuwait. It was not a movie filled of fighting but of men who just seemed to go crazy in the desert, for months and months. I had never seen a side of it as this movie, never thought on things quite like I did after seeing this movie which was based on fact.

It was a long movie and it was about midnight when it ended but it sparked some discussion between my sister and I afterward. It a topic not really discussed between us, just because its not on our minds when we get together, but here we were at midnight, discussing our thoughts and feelings about war, past wars and the world as it is today. I think I’d like to watch that movie again.

Anyway, Barb spent the night. It was near 1am when we went to bed. I’ll have to set the spare bedroom up for her for our future slumber parties. She put her order in this morning of how she wants it and what she wants in it, as we laughed, because she found herself quite comfortable in her sleeping quarters last night. This morning, before she left, we took a walk around outside, to see what was in bloom. The sun was finally out brightly, after so many rainy or cloudy days, and it was getting a bit too warm at least for us. Here are a few pictures of this morning’s color in bloom. The poem I wrote and posted in the earlier days of this site about the blossoms like fireworks, is so true. Every day, it seems something else blooms. There is another color, beautiful flower opened and it’s so enjoyable to watch every day. So, here are this morning’s bright pictures.

This morning's peek inside....

Life moves along....

Life seems to move along much too quickly and it seems to even go faster as the years go by. It is so easy to get caught up in its busyness, its race, whether at work or at home. There is always something that needs attention or completion. Sometimes work seems never ending, an endless battle. Even home chores become never ending and a race to get done just to have things in place to begin the work week all over again. I know. We tend to get caught up. A vicious cycle which we usually describe as being in a rut, “same thing over and over again”. Then life can seem boring and we fall down from there. Usually, we don’t recognize this cycle. It becomes so routine and habit, its effects on us are unseen or unnoticed. Hence the saying “take time to stop and smell the roses”.

One thing, I’ve heard that helps show someone just exactly how “routine” their life has become, is to keep a diary or journal. Over time, one will begin to see patterns in their day to day life and if they are not seeing out of the ordinary, fun, spontaneous actions, then perhaps it is time to add some. Or to “step out of the box” and do something a bit different from time to time. Or change a regular routine in some form, and this can be as simple as maybe changing a regular route into work; going a different way.

Following is a comment left by my niece. Her words give an importance message which I felt are certainly worth us all looking at in ourselves. Kim has given permission for me to print here and to write about. Her message is as follows:

“Memories; family and friends. Sometime it is difficult in the busyness of life. It becomes hectic with responsibilities and we tend to put off things that are most important to us. I was asked to go to a get together at a friend’s house this weekend. With my schedule even that becomes a chore as I have responsibilities at work and at home. It is hard. I guess I have to get “everything done”. I have been trying to spend more time with family and friends, but it just seems like something comes up all the time.

My friend, Karen, whom I have become good friends with over the years, is having a get together. Did I really want to go at first? No. Why? Just because there is too much to do. Well, after hearing about the death of a former co-worker, I decided that I was going to go see my friend. I don’t care if I don’t weed my flowers or if the laundry gets done. I don’t care if I have to ride one of my horses there; I’m going to go see my friends!

This friend is one whom always makes time to see me, so it’s my turn. Ever feel like that? I bought some goodies to bring over for the get together and that’s what I plan on doing. I’m just thinking now of the importance of “don’t put off seeing someone you care about because you have laundry, cleaning or whatever else… just do it. Life moves pretty fast..do and see what you can today because you might not be able to tomorrow.”

We all have done this. I know that I certainly have and continue to do. I remember some questions that was asked from time to time in some group activity of sorts…it was questions of exactly this topic and the questions to think on in answering were something like these: “Who have you not spoken to for a long time? Can you think of a relative or friend that maybe you have not spoken to or not seen for a long time? Perhaps you think of them from time to time and you wonder about them, how they are doing, what they’ve been up to all this time. Maybe there are times you think back at the importance they once or still do infact, have in your life. What part did they have in your life? Why have you lost touch? What keeps you from calling?...And, most importanly....why not make that call today?

As Kim’s message states…”tomorrow may be too late” Who is to ever know?

I know, this past little vacation that my sister and I took together is something that we’ve wanted to do for years and talked about but neither of us either had the time or the timing just was not right. Finally, we just up and did it. Sometimes spontanouse is best. Just get up and go with your thoughts and ideas and then it happens, seemingly just as it is suppose to. We’ll always remember that time together where as on the other side, had we not done, it might have been a life time regret of “I wish I had”.

I’ve started reading a little book which I recently purchased while on vacation. The author is Mitch Albom, whom wrote the books “Tuesdays with Morrie”, and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”. Now he has this new book out called “for one more day”. It explores the question: “what would you do if you could spend one more day with a lost loved one?” It is the story of a broken man who goes back in his life and sees his mother once again whom had passed away 8 years before. “What follows is the one ordinary day so many of us yearn for, a chance to make good with a lost parent, to explain family secrets, and to seek forgiveness” So…I’m going to leave these questions with you, who read this. Please, feel free to leave your answers or even an answer to one of these questions that fits you best, in a comment or email them to me at: opal@metrocast.net (it would be interesting to put on this site for all to see, in time, and no doubt to see how much we are all alike in many ways).

What would you do if you could spend one more day with a lost loved one?

What would you do if you could spend one full day with a loved one?

Why not do it?

(hope you have a good time with your friend, Kim)

When All Is New Once Again,...

"Have you ever noticed a tree standing naked against the sky, How beautiful it is? All its branches are outlined, and in its nakedness There is a poem, there is a song. Every leaf is gone and it is waiting for the spring. When the spring comes, it again fills the tree with The music of many leaves, Which in due season fall and are blown away. And this is the way of life."- Krishnamurti

And now...back to reality...

Well, vacation is over until the next one which is too far away to even think about. Its been a great week...I've had a blast with my sister. It was great to get away but it was even greater to go with her. It amazes both of us every time we're together, we realize more and more how much we are alike. And already, I'm so looking forward to our next time together. Enjoy looking at our pictures and stories below. We're still remembering and laughing. It was just a good time. Thats the beauty of life, isn't it? Off and on, I have thought about something that was so important to my mother and also such a worry for her. She was so worried that after she was gone, there would be trouble or problems between her three children...my sister, brother and I. She always knew we were close but maybe its because she and her own sister had a fallen out later in life that she worried we might. She told us that the one thing she wanted after she was gone was for the three of us to go away together, just for a good time and the three of us will ...but this time was for my sister and I. I thought at times, that somehow, my mother knows all is good...and she knows how much my sister and I enjoy eachother. She just knows. So, tomorrow I go back to work...with some wonderful memories. My sister is truely my best friend. So Barb, until the next time...I love you and thank you for coming along on vacation with me.

Our Summer Vacation..Part 1.

Ok, so Barb wanted ALL the pictures of our vacation on here...So, now we begin with the nutty stuff..well the more nutty stuff....a few laughs shared, though we doubt many have our sense of humor...and some things, well, you just had to be there for it to have mattered. But! We had fun....laughed lots.....in our silly, crazy minds...which is not such a bad place to be when you can be there...vacation is one of those times. I had completed, so I thought, this story on our vacation last night as you will see another beginning of this "story" below...but Barb calls and says "What a great start, I can't wait to see the rest tomorrow". And, I had thought I finished! Oh well, Ok...lets get the rest of the stuff up on here. A few of these may not make alot of sense to You...but to us, like the accordian player (me dubbed in)...well thats sort of a personal joke that goes back many years.

Enjoy our pictures..we're happy to share our vacation, our fun with you!
Be Sure to hit enter on "OLDER POSTS" at the near bottom...so you can turn the page and won't miss anything!

Hotel for the Wild..(you wild animal, you!) Its a jungle in here!

What kind of a hotel did you say this was??

And it talked! It really, really did! Barb heard it!

Zoo or bar?


Its a bird...?...Its a plane?...Its a ?? what??


Barb and her escort

Hungry anyone?

When we first arrived...starved...

"A simple cheeseburger please?"

A Mix of Just Crazy Stuff....

Finding an office with working computers to send out an email..Barb takes a moment to get herself ready incase its actually a dental office

Behind one of the gift shops. Gotta pee? use the woods...its safer

Opal at her best and Ohhh what a crowd formed!

LITTLE SHOP OF CONDOMS
And we sang "how much is that condom in the window..

Unique Gift Shops...

These were a few pictures of a gift shops we found. Room after room of unique things. We spent hours over this vacation going through different shops. So much to see. Barb...You can dress her up but careful when you take her out...I caught her playing around with this guy in the jeans. Can you only imagine my embarrassment? She's just too much!

Our Summer Vacation.. Part 2...The Twisted Sisters...

Well, the week I took off from work is almost over. It goes by much too quickly. Normally, I enjoy spending time off from work just hanging around the house, waking when I feel like it...going to bed late, taking naps, going shopping, nothing much but time away from work. This vacation, my sister and I took off together. Nothing really planned, we just did it. For years we've been saying that we should, yet, year after year that time never came. Well, it finally did. I don't think there are a whole lot of people that share the same sense of humor that my sister and I share. We get silly, enjoy silly things, and enjoy laughing. Thats mainly what we did. We kept a journal of our little trip and took some pictures. We stayed in a great location and everything was as perfect as it could of possibly could of been, probably because nothing was planned. We just threw a few set of clothing in a bag and off we went. We laughed at our journal, our pictures, even our hotel rooms which were side by side because mine had a coffee table and her's didn't. We made more stupid jokes over that one issue. We shopped til we dropped, dined, walked, watched movies at night in my room (cause I had a coffee table), and there was so much more we wanted to do that it makes us "plan" next year's trip.



We took turns writing the journal....here's a sample of it:

(Barb)

9:15am,Wed. Left. Milage in the car is 15,458 (Opal's car and Opal driving)

9:28am,Wed. Fighting over which way to go.

9:31am,Wed. Stop at the bank for Opal. We haven't gone anywhere yet..nice trip. She is over

tired, bags under her eyes, and yelling at me!

9:40am,Wed. She is still in the bank and I'm growing roots on my ass! I think she snuck into

Dunkin Donuts. I'm tired.

9:44am,Wed. Still in the Bank! I'm hot. I tihnk this IS where she is taking me! This IS the Trip!



12:30pmWed.Finally,...a gift shop we stop on the way. Great. we got along. We are really are

really moving. Got directions. Bought some good junk. Got lost?

1:00pmWed. We have gone 42 miles!! We may be getting agraphobia - we are panic

stricken. We've gone 42 miles and everything is foreign.



(Opal)

2:00pmWed. Finally, we are here after 10 trips up and down the strip. We choose the hotel that

we saw first, 3 hours ago. We made a good choice. Side by side rooms.King beds.

Barbs complaining her toilet overflowed but she really got upset when she saw

that her room had no coffee table and mine did. I better keep an eye on mine

cause I can tell she wants it.

We toasted with our drinks (soda) and now she keeps singing He ain't heavy..He's

Your Brother in redneck accent. Its baddd. Still, she is not happy over the

coffee table situation. (See Picture)

4:00pmWed

(Barb)

Went scouting around. Went to the mall outside our hotel door. Excellent! Back

now, our feet killing us from walking for hours. Got some subs, movies and back

to room to relax. Bought goodies. (Thinking we should of checked into a nursing

home instead the way our feet are killing us).



See Pictures.

The Beginning of our Trip, North!!....

Our first stop...along the way...Gift shops and water falls, book stores. Taking our time as our journal will tell....42 miles we traveled in about 3 1/2 hours. Now thats what you call stopping to smell the roses. We're lucky we made it back home all in the same trip!

Where We Stayed....Our Castle Away From Home..

Normally, It is absolutely breathtaking up in the mountains for pictures...but it was cloudy the entire time we were there even though when we left home the sun was out. For that reason, we did not get many pictures. Had it been clear..we would of gone on our picture taking frenzy. This is where we stayed...and a few of the smaller mountains surrounding it.

Checking In....dangerous territory..

Checking in..the Lobby had a few wild animals around it. Of course, Barb gets her hand eaten. I was lucky to get this picture snapped in time before it took her entire arm. Strangely though, people continued to check in at the counter there, trying not to pay attention to us for some reason!

The Long Hall Home....(A Peek Inside)

We were at the end of a Long hall, on the 4th floor. Side by Side rooms...Of course, mine was the one we used for movies and eating, snacking, hanging out...Cause I had a coffee table!

A Look out our room window (through the screen)

Ot Oh...Something is Missing!!

We had more laughs over this! First she notices that SHE does NOT have a coffee table in her room But I do in my room!I tell her "no problem! Use something in your room for one"...so she unfolds the luggage rack to use...see? Trying to put down her drink? hmmmm...didnt work so well.. So, she tries to take mine! We laugh over this still.

Continuing on with Vacation..One evening...

Steps from the door of the hotel, was a village like of unique shops. And, we did shop til we dropped the first night. We napped, relaxed, read, watched movies and laughed. What more could anyone want for a vacation? Enjoy the pictures! Though was a bit rainy and cloudy outside and the mountains looked short as the fog surrounded it's tops which kept you from seeing them...all in all, everything still was just perfect. We plan on going for longer next year and we know now what else we should bring and what other places we wish to see and things to do. The pool outside (there is Barb walking)..was after dinner, cloudy and raining alittle but we went walking and exploring that evening. It didn't matter what the weather was...everything was just perfect exactly as it was. There were about 80 shops...all set up as a village. Very pretty lit up at night. Just steps from our door, as you can see also by the picture in looking back at the hotel.