Mother’s Day will have come and gone by the time this posts, but the sweetness is worth recalling. I hope it’s also true for you.
I was able to start the day with a Skype session with my daughter, have an in-person lunch with my son and his crew, and end the day with dinner with a beloved cousin who rearranged her trip plans so we could share time together.
All through the day I was aware of how the smallest efforts mean so much, and maybe especially to those who recognize the gift of mothering and being mothered.
Texts and photographs and smiles and kind waitresses and the backstories of double shifts and kids at home and take your time—and knowing those three words are like an I love you to the world.
Flower images from extraordinary people who are not mine to claim, but who were moved to send them my way. The grandness.
Children’s handwriting and how a busy parent had to be patient while that was created…a precious moment.
A toast to the mothers who have gone ahead—and shared between grateful daughters at a leisurely and extraordinarily simple but beautiful reunion—To Life…
That waitress mom who happily took our picture and asked us for a funny pose, too because we all need to laugh more.
Amen, honey.
I know that’s more than seven…at some point, there is no need for numbering…just know.
Oh, here’s a bonus that really captures motherhood/busyhood to me. I wore black slacks yesterday…I thought. After lunch, I realized they were navy. Left them on anyway. The world spun on regardless. 😆
May all your clothes and shoes match this week, but if they don’t, you’re “up and at ‘em” and all is well. 💙
Easter greetings to the Christian readers here… I hope you’ve had a lovely day and made good memories. The bloom in the picture was only a bud the afternoon of Easter Saturday…what a difference a day makes, right? 😉
That full bloom iris greeted me this morning and reminded me how much good can come in a truly short time. Always be on watch for it.
It’s been a busy few days here with grandchildren dyeing eggs (and that brought back memories of my children doing the same— as well as my mom doing the same with me so many decades ago. Memories hang with us.) Traditions. ❤️
Little Easter baskets and fillable eggs and cascarones and children’s happy voices …
…and those children coming in with pre-birthday gifts as we were able to celebrate together this weekend…
The mailbox has been a treasure trove of happy mail recently, and I will always marvel at the magic that seems to bring a card or parcel from place to place. Today, it held homemade baked goods, too…all the ways friends show up with love and light.
I sent some good mail of my own during the past few days: a stitched contour portrait is on its way to Australia thanks to India Flint and her ever busy way of connecting creatives through stitch or words or art.
Friendships…and the ways we witness one another through good times and bad 🌟
Full moon glow a few days ago that led me to stand in wonder…the beauty of this world…
Books and journals and coffee cups and flowers…all the usual suspects that bring joy 🦋
Recipes…and time to make them…
And as I enter a new year, I honor the tradition of staying up to meet the day—happy to see another year and hopeful for the good it will bring…
So many times I wanted to post because I knew I missed last week, but I decided a catch up today would do. The message really doesn’t change:
Find beautiful moments. Surround yourself with good people. Learn from a child. Laughter is life. Carry on.
This year, I hope to continue posting seven small (and big) things from recent days that I’m grateful for, but in addition to that, I’m planning to add a line or quote or verse from some current read.
This week’s choice has been in my stacks for years and includes many rich poems, but today I choose “Return”…maybe because a new year is similar to a re-entry after a vacation. Maybe we have been celebrating. Maybe now we have to come down. Maybe the poem has nothing to do with that. I’ll post it and maybe you’ll give it a read:
Return by Naomi Shihab Nye
Build my home here
On the spot of old time.
I’m sure I have failed you
One thousand ways,
You ancient clock,
You stockpot of moments.
Look how the first thing I do
Upon entering the house
Is remove my watch
It’s in your honor.
Fuel by Naomi Nye
So, poems. Other goodnesses lately:
Chex mix aka “trash” in these parts —delectable, savory, spicy treat.
Homemade pound cake —all the holiday food remnants beckoning for a few more tastes
Jon Batiste —musical genius
Camelias, winterberries, holly—all the winter bloomers
Forecasts for snow—still brings a smile
and those long airport hugs and kisses that have to last awhile—-grateful for daughter time this season.
Be kind to yourself this year, wherever you find yourself on 2024’s map.
I adopted a new artist word for the year: capacity. For me, it means paying attention to all I need and want, and all I hope to (and have to) let go. 🙌🏼🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
It’s been a lovely one, and now I am watching a thunderstorm move in. Mother Nature. The feminine spirit among us. A late walk was cut short by flailing limbs and brisk winds. Now I listen from inside as thunder shouts and rain pelts down…but I’m inside, with gratitude… safe shelter. Comforts of home. Lamplight. An open screen for breezes and listening to the rain.
I’m grateful today for many things and many people. My children. My grandchildren. I’m grateful I am a mom and a grandmother. I am grateful for the mother who gave me lasting gifts.
I am grateful for the women in my world who do the hard work of mothering children. Who carry on even when they are tired.
I am thankful for all kinds of intangible things, but tonight one tangible item, too.
The Madonna charm is one of two that has significant meaning to me. My daughter and I each have one, and we used to trade them upon meeting after long times apart.
I cannot tell you the comfort this little charm has brought me, but I looked recently, and it was absent from the bracelet it should be attached to. I ordered a replacement, but the charm was much smaller…not the same, but an effort.
This past week, though, a delight: I had a few minutes and was cleaning out my purse…and there, unexpectedly, was this charm. Not lost at all. With me the whole time, unseen.
Mary, Mother of God
Small moment, but deep gratitude. Little connectors in the big world. How appropriate to find Her so close to Mother’s Day. How precious.
Not my usual seven, but likely seven good things at least.
Whether your day has been filled with tangible or intangible things, I hope you have witnessed or expressed love today.
I hope you carry it with you, under the surface, but a guide for all you encounter.
I started the day strong, then I gave in to one book after another. Books about art, book making, creativity, textiles. Not a bad place to be on a Sunday afternoon, actually. 📚
I have quite a few handmade books in various states of progress, too. Also a good thing. This is likely due to a really good art workshop I attended recently, hosted by Marlene Gremillion. She’s a wonderful teacher, and I think new and experienced artists alike left feeling motivated. Even though this was not a book making workshop, ideas started flowing.✅👩🏻🎨
It’s encouraging to see people giving themselves time to explore new techniques, hone old ones, be part of a community. Art does that for us.
Other good things from the week:
Seeing a granddaughter perform in a school play, and watching her search the crowd beforehand. Seeing those eyes light up and that face break into a joyful smile when she spotted her family in the audience. ❤️
Walking in the company of a beautiful sunset this week and receiving a text from a friend—pretty sky alert!—and realizing how much the sky and friend have added to my life. 🌟
Some of you know I love to cook—-well, this week my college campus had a soup cook off, and yours truly walked away with a second place medal. 👩🏻🍳 The recipe?
This is so good—-college kid approved—-and I added doubles of tomato sauce and heavy cream. Didn’t add the ginger; did include a block of cream cheese. I regret nothing. ☺️
What else? Well, poetry, of course. Here’s a beautiful one by Naomi Shihab Nye. I offer it here in honor of Women’s History Month, AND because she once answered a letter from a good friend…and was generous to her:
Onward, friends! It’s spring break for some, and a lost hour due to Daylight Savings Time for a lot of us in the USA. I feel an extra cup of coffee coming on, and maybe I’ll move from this stack of books to go greet what daylight remains.
It seems that January is speeding right by. Not sure what to think about that. Is it busy-ness, age, what? Why does time slow to a crawl during some seasons and other times we barely even have time to consider it? Not sure…
…but time is my focus tonight. Time is the theme that runs through my seven good things these past few days.
In no particular order:
Early morning minutes (before dawn) snuggling with a toddler, realizing some of the holiest time spent on this earth is time spent loving and talking with a child.
Time spent listening to music. My children gifted me an old school record player a few years ago, and I so enjoy slowing down to listen to my collection of vinyl. There’s a kind of reverence associated with dropping a needle on an album.
School is back in session, so my days run around course schedules, meetings, office hours, etc. Time spent with students so far has been rewarding. Glad for that.
Early rising/early bedtimes. I’ve changed some routines and habits to make this part of my life better. I like waking before an alarm tells me to, even though it would seem super early to a lot of folks.
Time for creative pursuits. This is a big one. If we don’t make appointments with ourselves for things that matter, something always comes around to take time away. It is a good thing to devote time to what makes us thrive.
Those minutes/moments/hours with friends and family over the past few days. When we realize the time spent celebrating, caring for, and being in the presence of others is valued and appreciated, we realize how important time and our use of it really is.
Returnings. How the seasons turn and change … and watching and listening as geese honk their return to the pond, hearing my grandchildren yell for me to look at the zig zagging line of geese forming in the sky.
Listening to the questions, realizing I know few answers, relishing the time with those who wander and wonder.
It seems that January is speeding right by. Not sure what to think about that. Is it busy-ness, age, what? Why does time slow to a crawl during some seasons and other times we barely even have time to consider it? Not sure…
…but time is my focus tonight. Time is the theme that runs through my seven good things these past few days.
In no particular order:
Early morning minutes (before dawn) snuggling with a toddler, realizing some of the holiest time spent on this earth is time spent loving and talking with a child.
Time spent listening to music. My children gifted me an old school record player a few years ago, and I so enjoy slowing down to listen to my collection of vinyl. There’s a kind of reverence associated with dropping a needle on an album.
School is back in session, so my days run around course schedules, meetings, office hours, etc. Time spent with students so far has been rewarding. Glad for that.
Early rising/early bedtimes. I’ve changed some routines and habits to make this part of my life better. I like waking before an alarm tells me to, even though it would seem super early to a lot of folks.
Time for creative pursuits. This is a big one. If we don’t make appointments with ourselves for things that matter, something always comes around to take time away. It is a good thing to devote time to what makes us thrive.
Those minutes/moments/hours with friends and family over the past few days. When we realize the time spent celebrating, caring for, and being in the presence of others is valued and appreciated, we realize how important time and our use of it really is.
Returnings. How the seasons turn and change … and watching and listening as geese honk their return to the pond, hearing my grandchildren yell for me to look at the zig zagging line of geese forming in the sky.
Listening to the questions, realizing I know few answers, relishing the time with those who wander and wonder.
I don’t know about you, but I’m surprised at how quickly this month went. Sometimes July seems to drag, but even with the heat here, the days zipped by. Lots of really good things happened this month. Here’s just a sampling…things that I hope will resonate with you and keep you looking for the beautiful, too. 🌟
An elderly man was headed out of the grocery recently, and turned back and asked the clerk if she could watch his cart. He said he’d forgotten something. A few minutes later, I passed him as I drove away and he was wheeling his cart out, carrying a beautiful bouquet of flowers. We can fill in our own blanks, but someone was likely surprised by beauty. So lovely. 💐
I’ve noticed recently when I drive away from my grandchildren’s house, they often stand and watch at the front door to see if I’m still looking back at them. I am. To be loved by a child is no small thing. Always cherish it. 🤘
About a year ago, my daughter was with me and we were out of town. I received a call about a full time job offer that has been such a blessing. I still remember her happiness for me and how we celebrated that day. Today, I look at an almost finished building on campus that was not even started a year ago, and now it won’t be long before new classes will be taking place there. Nothing-then something…so very often. So much good. Possibilities just out of sight but almost here…all the time. Hang on if your good hasn’t come yet…it’s on the way. 🧚🏼♀️
This month has also given me another opportunity to teach at our local women’s recovery center a couple of times a week. These women are creating better lives for themselves. It’s really touching to be able to witness it as it happens. Success is measured in a lot of ways and sometimes comes packaged a bit differently than we might expect. People are resilient. Never give up on anyone, especially someone who is courageous enough to make a new start. 🏆
Sometimes we need to make an effort, or as I’ve been relearning recently, to ask for help when we need it. I was dreading an appointment due to my mind sometimes making things enormous when they are not, but I asked a friend to accompany me. She did. The appointment went fine. She still doesn’t realize the impact of what she did by walking with me during those anxious minutes. Sometimes we don’t know what we do for others just by living.
Another friend told me this week that she took a train trip even though she was afraid. She’s never traveled alone, but she saw that I did. It gave her courage. Live your life this week knowing that what is nothing to you might be life changing for someone else. How do we change the world? By living our best lives.
So, hold a hand. Accompany a friend. Say yes to a new opportunity. Help a person who isn’t as lucky as you. Be happy for someone’s joy. Buy someone flowers. Get on a train or plane or whateverrrrr. Blow a kiss to a child. Take your mom to lunch if you can. (My son did that for me recently. Made my day. ❤️)
PS
Children grow up. Mine still make room and time for me in multiple ways from across the world to a few miles over. I’m thankful.
I’ve been writing this blog for ten years this month. Thank you for coming along. ❤️
A blog reaching out to victims of abuse and others in need, providing insight about abuse, hope for the future, and guidance to see THE LIGHT that lead Secret Angel out of the darkness of her own abusive situation and helped her to not only survive but to overcome.
agnestirrito 