MEMORIES of a PRICELESS GIFT

 

Today is 23 years since I boarded a plane for Chicago to embark on a totally new career as a flight attendant for United Airlines!

What a complete about-face that was, but it was one of the best things I ever did.  I can't even begin to measure the blessings and growth that came to me as I learned about life in a whole different arena.

I am thinking about how I had no idea what was before me when I got to United's training center to begin that chapter in my life.  If I'd had any inkling what a challenge it was going to be in a lot of ways, I might not have been brave enough to pack a bag and wave good-bye.  Glad I didn't know!

Definitely, I wish I could remember the names of all the people I rubbed shoulders with.  But there were so many! Sometimes when I read my trip journals from that period of time, I see a glimpse here and there of someone I would have liked to have had an opportunity to form a solid friendship.  But that was just for a moment in time.  And for the memories.

It's hard to believe I have now been retired for three years as of this day, too.  Twenty years in a nice little package. Twenty years of memories.

It was a gift!

SECRET ANNIVERSARIES OF THE HEART

                        "The holiest of all holidays are those

Kept by ourselves in silence and apart;

The secret anniversaries of the heart."

                 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This month of July 2023 marked 36 years since my 10-year-old blond-haired, blue-eyed boy Jeremy fell from a lofty Cottonwood tree and died the following afternoon of a severe closed head injury. 

The open-wound pain of Jeremy's death eased long ago. First to a constant ache, then as more time went on to a quiet sorrow.  As more years have gone by, the memories continue to be sweet, but the anniversary day of his death still brings a vivid remembrance of that awful event, and I sometimes find myself melancholy for no reason that I can put my finger on other than July 17th is a dreaded day on the calendar.

Without a doubt, I have already done the most difficult thing imaginable: survived my child's funeral.  And I got out of bed on the days when that seemed impossible so I could work with my family to make a "new norm" without Jeremy who once was part of our life's daily structure.

Yet, I choose to be warmed by tender recollections during every July.  Though I know tears will swell again, I take a departure from my usual activities.  There is no use pretending that this day is like any other; it isn't.  

I've learned not to wait for someone to remember. MY grief easily slips out of mind, even within the closest circle of family and friends, though this year I was lovingly surprised by two people who extended themselves to say they were thinking of me.  

I think again of all the signs of care which surrounded us in those difficult first days.  Most importantly the sight of family and friends gathered to grieve and to pray with us.  And I give thanks for the eternal nature of friendship, too.

Most of all, I count my blessings for the ten short years that Jeremy was part of our mortal life.  That way I can get through the annual reminder of this loss.  This secret anniversary of my heart.  

Then I take flowers to Jeremy's grave.  Sometimes I invite someone special to me to come along.  Sometimes I go alone.  Either way, I take time to appreciate the unique headstone fashioned from the drawings of Jeremy's siblings which depicted his favorites--elephants and dinosaurs.  Their names and ages are on the back of the stone, dedicated to the boy who fell out of a tree.

Some hearts were meant to be close...no matter what distance lies between them.

It is a holy holiday....

IN LIFE AS IN BASKETBALL

  In Life      In Basketball

I was looking at some of my college stuff recently and started thinking about friends and roommates during that time, some of whom have already passed away.

There were two cute girls from California in my dorm who lived upstairs from me.  Elaine was blond, Meagan was brunette.  They were inseparable and so fun to be around.  They laughed, they giggled, they were friendly with everyone, and were the "life of the party" whether it was a large group or just a small gaggle of girls.  

One day soon after the school year began, they took one look at my long eye lashes and proceeded to take me in hand to teach me how to use eye makeup-- more than just a brush of mascara I managed while getting ready for the day.  They introduced me to the hippie look that emphasized more color play on the eyes, those soft colors which focused on adding depth coupled with winged eyeliner, along with loads of mascara and blush.  Took the country girl out of me for sure!  And what a difference it made in my looks and my self-esteem.  Who knew?

Meagan was dating a young man who played basketball for UCLA.  This was in the mid 60s when the Bruins were winning championships all over the place.   Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul Jabbar) was one of his teammates, and the storied John Wooden was their coach.  Meagan used to tell us all about the team, plus the motivational highlights her boyfriend said the coach would give the team when they practiced.  So many practical directions that were as helpful on the basketball court as in everyday life.

There was one good piece of tactical advice which Coach Wooden emphasized over and over with the team, which I still think of when I get stumped about how I should take care of some sort of task I'm not sure just exactly how to tackle.  It's elementary, really.  But I have used these wise words over the years, and the injunction works every time.  And I'm not talking about when I play basketball--HAHAHA!

 

Don't let what you DON'T know get in the way of what you DO know."

I've found that if I approach a problem in that way, I often get ideas that help me complete the part I'm not really sure how to manage.  Simple words.  Profound message.

Thanks, Coach Wooden....

GOOD NEIGHBOR STORY

Over the years I have had my share of good neighbors who assisted me with yard work, loaned stuff to me, helped me get into my garage when the spring on the opener was broken, righted my Christmas tree when it fell over, and lots of other little gestures that relieved me immensely at the time I needed some help.  In short, these neighbors were genuinely friendly and willing to lend a hand any time the need arose.  Be they bidden by me or proactive on their own initiative, I have been blessed many, many times.

So, I was particularly interested when I read the experience of a man who wrote about how his neighbor was always there for him.  He recounted some of those experiences, including one where the neighbor helped him with a huge project in his back yard because the man's son wanted to have his wedding reception there.

On the occasion of the story I read, there had been a big snowstorm where the two men lived.  The author thought he would shovel his neighbor's walks and driveway as a kind of reciprocal gesture. However, when he went out of his house, his neighbor had already shoveled his own walks, AND he had shoveled the author's, too!

John P. Rich, the author of that story I read in the April 2023 Liahona Magazine, went back into his house and wrote this little poem.  It's not great poetry, but it conveys a stirring message about the personality of his neighbor, President Russell M. Nelson.

SERMONS

 I’ve seen sermons in stone

And sermons in flowers

Sermons that take minutes

Sermons that take hours

But I’ve just seen a sermon

Delivered in labor

That showed me perfectly

How to be a good neighbor

John P. Rich

REFLECTIONS from a Sunday afternoon....

 I spent the afternoon perusing slender little journals of all sorts that I have written in over the past few years.  I like to do this now and then on Sundays when I choose to do--and read--different kinds of things from what I engage in on the other days of the week.  It is one way I can show my personal sign for honoring the Sabbath day.

One of those journals I reread today is titled "Oh, Happy Day", which my walking buddy Natasha gave me on my 75th birthday.  It is a little book of reminders to write down kindnesses from others, fond memories of varying experiences, an opportunity to express pleasure in simple everyday things, and a myriad of other subjects designed to help the reader/writer look outside the box for just a few minutes and jot a short thought.

Today, in addition to some long-forgotten entries, I found a quote about joy.  President Russel M. Nelson continually reminds us that we can find joy in any circumstance in life.  I know this is true, as I have found joy in singular experiences during some of the toughest times of my life.  In fact, I keep a little silver token on my bathroom counter that says simply, JOY.  A good reminder that there is bound to be something joyful during the course of my day.  And there usually is--when I keep my eyes wide open.

Here is a quote by David Steindl-Rast I particularly liked from this little journal.  It accompanied a suggestion to write something that a loved one had done for me lately--noting who it was and what they did for me.  I attest these are the kinds of things that bring joy.  Gratitude is a powerful attribute to make that happen.

It is not 

JOY 

that makes us

 GRATEFUL;  

it is 

GRATITUDE 

that makes us 

JOYFUL.

LESSON FROM THE ALL--SEEING LENS OF A CAMERA

 

LIFE IS LIKE A camera…

FOCUS ON WHAT IS IMPORTANT

CAPTURE THE GOOD TIMES

DEVELOP FROM THE NEGATIVES

AND IF THINGS DON’T WORK OUT

--TAKE ANOTHER SHOT!

...AND SMILE!  

MOTHERS ARE WOMEN OF STRENGTH

 Today is Mother's Day. 

 I thought this comparison is a good one to reflect on the truth that 

MOTHERS are WOMEN of STRENGTH!

A Strong Woman

vs.

A Woman of Strength

 

                                            A strong woman works out every day                                                                                                           to keep her body in shape…

But a woman of strength kneels in prayer                                                                                                            to keep her soul in shape.

 

A strong woman isn’t afraid of anything…

But a woman of strength shows courage                                                                                                          in the midst of her fear.

                    A strong woman won’t let anyone get the best of her.

But a woman of strength gives the best of herself to everyone.

                                              A strong woman makes mistakes and                                                                                      avoids the same in the future…

  A woman of strength realizes life’s                                                                                                                    mistakes can also be God’s blessings and capitalizes on them.

A strong woman walks sure footedly… 

      But a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls.

 

                                               A strong woman wears the look of                                                                                                           confidence on her face...

But a woman of strength wears grace.

                                             A strong woman has faith that she                                                                                      is strong enough for the journey…

   But a woman of strength has faith that it’s                                                                                                       in the journey that she will become

STRONG!

                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         STRONG!