Some Thoughts on this Brave New World

 

It's hard to stay inside all of the time, but I have to ask myself, am I making the most of this time? I have taken to catching up with all kinds of friends among other projects. I have also taken advantage to rest. In our fast paced society, it's easy to get going so fast that there may be years of activity without required rest that can bring renewal. When life runs on high octane, there are drive-by conversations, sometimes misunderstandings happen and then there's the pressure to take on more than one is capable of handling.

On my walk this morning I ran into a neighbor who asked how we were. I have only seen this neighbor out one time, but it was good to check in on each other.

This pandemic has turned our world upside down, and as far as I can see, people are being more caring than ever. I hear about the negative at times, but what good does it do me to let it get under my skin? Isn't it better to be built up and build up? Isn't it better to go through the proper channels to communicate concern than mull with each over what is not going well? Do I always do this well? No, but when I connect with those who are empowered to help the problem, such as -and this is not a comprehensive list - a representative or healthcare specialist, I have done my part. Hopefully there are other Whos in Whosville doing the same thing. And at some point a Cindy-loo Who comes along that pushes the whole community in the right direction.

As a person of faith, I attribute that spirit to the person of God at work in others. This isn't a conversion piece, but if it encourages something good and transformative in anyone, then God has done His job. I am not God, nor do I pretend to be, but I pray that my words encourage you during this difficult time to hang in and look to the One who can handle all of our care. I hope you also know that you are cared about, to not fear, to cast all worry on God as he cares for us all, and so much more. But in the end, can we pray that we keep up this spirit of goodness around us in public and private? Can we reconnect with those with whom we need to? Can we make new connections with new wisdom?

 

I pray we do. I pray I do. I thank God for bringing out the best in people through the healthcare workers, food service industry, entertainment industry, transportation workers, local and global leaders and so many more.

Please stay safe and take care in this brave new world.

Thank you for stopping by Coffee At My Table

Remembering a Life

  

Life's short. Make good memories. My mother-in-law passed from this life two nights ago. It was Palm Sunday, her favorite time of the season. She loved Easter.

When John and I first met, one of the first things I learned to do was making kulich, a rich creamy spread made of all things given up during lent, butter, cream, sugar, raisins and more. It is served on a bread called pasca. Mom loved the ceremony of it all and did certain readings and recalled her own family traditions during this time.

Her father was Russian Orthodox and her mother Roman Catholic. They settled on the Roman Catholic tradition and had six children. My mother-in-law was the baby. She loved her father and lost him tragically at the age of 13. He was a fine artist being commissioned for work all around New England and beyond.

She and my father-in-law met at a dance at Emmanuel College in Boston and married, having their first four children within the first four years of marriage. My father-in-law was studying mechanical engineering at Northeastern University in Boston. He worked on many things, some of those being the gyroscopes for the Apollo missions and Patriot missiles. He also loved hiking and sailing. My husband,the baby was born four years later.

She was proud of her children. The oldest, ML went into psyche nursing, later running the three government run psyche hospitals in the state of Maine. Her second, Jimmy was an artist and singer. The third, Cathy was a ballet dancer and pianist. The fourth, Pete, was Ph.D in electrical engineering and designed signal processing chips that went into the generation of computer storage that came out sometime in the mid-2000s. My husband has always loved building and can make and fix almost anything and is a construction manager. When my husband, Pete and Dad got together, there is nothing they couldn't solve.

Mom was a teacher of piano and voice. She loved singing around the piano, teaching at Boston College, taking courses at Boston college, directing her Acapella Choir, vacationing in Vermont, hiking in Vermont, sailing in Vermont, walks, and when they lived in New England, they lived close enough to town that she walked everywhere.

She was energetic, loved Jesus and loved to put out good music. She is now singing in the angel band and like my sister-in-law said, giving them a tip or two. I am glad we made all of those memories around the piano, at Easter, Christmas, in Vermont, when she and my father-in-law moved here and got to be with my family, then getting to meet her only granddaughter.

As FFH sang in their song, I picture her saying these words:

"So here's goodbye here's so long 
I must go and follow love 
I feel my heart moving on 
I must go and follow love 
Carry on while I'm gone 
This is what I've been dreaming of 
I miss you so

But I must go, go and follow love"

 

Thank you for stopping by Coffee At My Table. This post is dedicated to Mary Arapoff McEwen, so long for now.