Creating things . . .
working on projects,
are both an inspiration to me
and spiritual coffee for my soul.
I put all of my care and attention
into it.
I forget that the rest of the world exists,
and everything else
falls by the wayside.
When I was doing bead work
I loved fashioning that first earring,
but dreamed of having someone
to make its mate . . .
I was already thinking ahead
to how I would do the next pair.
While working one one
ideas would bubble up
with variations of designs, patterns and stones
I might use in the next one.
When I set myself to deep clean the kitchen
I’m meticulous
and do not skip a single detail,
but then
I’m ready to move on to the next room,
and am not so interested in cleaning the kitchen again
for awhile,
which doesn’t work well in day to day life.
I care,
but once I’ve given it all of my attention
I want it to take care of itself
for awhile.
There are flaws
in how I approach these things . . .
I’d rather start a new earring
than finish the second one.
I do a beautiful job cleaning the kitchen,
refinishing the dresser,
even sometimes planting in the garden,
but want to do another room,
start sanding an end table,
or open up another garden space
to toil in,
imagining what I might plant
and where..
I have yet to learn
how to care properly
in the long term.
This doesn’t seem to apply to the beings in my life–
just creative endeavors,
which are also living things,
but of a different nature and quality.
So I will take the question of who (or what)
needs my care
to heart,
and slow down.
Love what I care about a little more,
and not forget
that what I put attention into
I will reap the most rewarding
blessings.♥
Your cleaning method sounds like mine, meticulously cleaning, feeling proud of the result, and then feeling very much done. It should take care of itself from there, right?
😂
We have several things in common, Sparrow, as we’ve noticed before. And here’s one more. ♥️
When I began practicing presence, the saying from older bilingual folks, here in the San Luis Valley, ‘put attention’, in Spanish ‘pones atencion’ (I do not know how to place the accent mark over the o) took upon a new respect for those that had told me that phrase as a way to flow though life.
Kinda overwhelmed lately with too much going on so I think I am the one that could use a step back. My Aunt died last week and so I was dealing with cousin drama and my son is on vacation so I am watching his dog and work has been non-stop busy. We have one person out on medical leave until the end of April. Tomorrow we all (my team minus our mgr) all signed up to make candles though for an hour and a half so I am looking forward to that down time!!
I need my own care right now. Saturday evening I went to an open mic event at a cafe/entertainment venue. I was feeling good about going, as my husband was disinterested and I had decided to go on my own. As I was walking toward the entrance I could hear the music and noticed that the doors were open. There were four people sitting in chairs just outside the door. I made eye contact with the woman and was starting to smile, when BAMMM, I hit the cement walkway face down.
First thought. What the _ _ _ _!!!!! Ouch! Ouch!! Ouch!!! Then embarrassment…I am lying on the ground face down. Oh, Mary…. So my nose swelled up and was red, I had an abrasion between my eyes, an abrasion above my mouth on the left side, and one inside my lower lip where my teeth pushed into my lip. Oh yeah, and I skinned my left knee. Did I mention that I was embarrassed? So with help I sat up, but didn’t want to get up in order to sit on a chair yet. So I sat on the ground for maybe 10 or 15 minutes, and then was helped up to sit in a chair. A few times I thought I was going to cry, but didn’t. I thought about leaving, but I wasn’t sure I should drive, and I hated to end my evening like that. It was a beautiful evening in the low 70’s with a nice breeze. And several people came to check on me, bringing me ice, and sitting with me. Everyone was very nice and I laughed as I told them that I would say to my husband, “You should have seen the other guy!” The swelling went down some, after lots of ice, so after about 45 minutes I went inside, listened to some music, and had some lavender mint tea with lots of honey. About 45 minutes later I went home. Oh yeah, did I mention I had tripped over an oddly placed mini step that was about 4 inches tall? (I was very relieved to find out that I had tripped over something other than my own two feet.)
So what to make of this?
Does this mean I’m an old person now who can’t walk around without endangering myself?
I think my age is not the point.
*What I can learn from this is that I need to be more careful. I’ve been accident prone for a very long time. Maybe always. I frequently almost trip over something, but then catch myself. So very simply I should slow down a bit and look where I’m going.
*Also, I found a Pilates class, three days a week that is for posture, balance and spinal alignment. That should be helpful.
* I’m going to get some nightlights for my home that will come on at night based on movement in a room.
*Lastly, I am realizing, more and more, the importance of staying in the moment. When I keep my mind on what I am doing, rather than who knows what, I will be much less likely to trip over something.
And finally, I realize that I need to take better care of myself in all ways. Get more sleep, eat more protein, increase the variety of foods that I eat, make time for art, stay active, rest when needed, listen to my body, stay faithful to answering and reflecting on the Daily Question, and give my body, heart and soul, all it needs, plus a little bit more.
And be present and enjoy my life.
Falls are the worse. I am glad you had immediate help. May the next few days bring lots of healing. I fell about 7 years ago resulting in a fractured femur. I had fun with it and had 2 stories of how it happened when people asked “what happened?”
Mary, I hope you’re feeling better as the week progresses. A fall in private is one thing, and then a fall at an event, in public, adds that layer of mortification. I’m so sorry this happened. As others have said, nothing to do with age, but then there’s the perception that it’s age-related … not an easy thing to recover from, and so sudden! Be well, heal up, enjoy some peace this week.
Yes, Drea. Yes and yes. I was mortified. And it was very sudden, very fast. I was on the ground in an instant. So much for making an entrance. I have to chuckle at that.
Thank you, Drea. I have been resting and that has felt good.
Mary, what a story. As so many have said, falls happen out of the blue. We don’t do it on purpose, that’s why we call them accidents. And as Sparrow said, it can happen at any age, yet when we are older, it is viewed differently. Heal beautifully, Mary, heart, mind, body, and Spirit. ♥️
Oh my goodness, I am so sorry about your fall! Seems like it gave you a lot to ponder, though, so perhaps that is the bright side of what happened. I’m glad you stayed for tea and music 🙂 Both my husband and I fell last week – and reading other responses, we are reminded that it happens to everyone! My husband slipped on some tree gumballs when he went to take the trash out, and I fell tripping over a branch on a trail while walking the dogs. AND I fell with a poop bag in my hand that I am incredibly grateful did not bust open with the pressure!
You are not alone, friend 💜
Thank you, SunnyPatti, for reminding me other people fall, too. That really does help. And yes, it did give me some things to think about, especially in terms of who and how I need to be in order to be “enough.” 💕
Dear Mary it’s ok to cry as well and it is truly healing to let go of ourselves. As we know our bodies are impermanent so we can be gentle and learn to surrender ourselves. I was crying last night when I walked Simba- my dog. Mostly about letting go of someone who no longer is in my life. These “pictures” even of our bodies can bring us to our knees! No pun intended! 😂 we can laugh with each other about this too . I know you have a good sense of humour as well ! Heal yourself and take care . Hugs 🤗
I’m so sorry this happened to you, Mary! I took a bad fall in my neighborhood last year because I was looking at my phone and didn’t see an upheaved section of the sidewalk. It is so, so *violent* to fall unexpectedly to the ground! It’s a shock to the mental system as well as to the body. I’ve had other falls, including one a few years ago in which I broke my wrist, and it’s always like a stroke of lightning. I hope you have time to let yourself heal gently.
Thank you so much, Barb. I didn’t think about it that way, but yes, it was violent. One moment I’m going about my life, and then within a millisecond my body and face slam onto the cement pavement. The speed of it was shocking. It really shook me. I didn’t even want to get off the ground because I was afraid I’d fall again, and at that point my legs probably were wobbly. It really did shake me. Thanks for recognizing that. I am making the time to heal gently. Thanks again, Barb. 🙂 ☀️
Mary, so sorry that happened. I know the feeling well, I slipped, and slid and bounced down some stairs last week. I was carrying a camera on a tripod. I saved the camera and bounced down on my left buttock and my elbow. I’m still a little sore, but it could have been so much worse.
These things are very humbling, but we survived to tell the tale. 🙂
Yes, very humbling. Thank you, Charlie, for telling me about your fall. I may have a similar philosophy on carrying things up and down my stairs as you have. My philosophy seems to be- I think I can probably get it all in one trip. 🙀 And, yes, thankfully we both survived to tell the tale. 😊
Dear Mary, for a few years now, I have been reminding myself throughout the day, generally after a first small stubbing or stumble “Pick up your feet!” That damn ground is not getting any softer.
I have had,
and I think most of us as well,
similar experiences,
no matter our age.
(It’s worse when it happens
when one is older)
because the first thing anyone thinks
is it has to do with age,
not clumsiness or distraction.
This too
shall pass,
dear Mary,
and the only one who will remember the incident
will be you. 🙂
Oh, Mary…that was quite a tumble.I’m so glad to hear you were able to stay and enjoy the music and the kindness of others. I’m assuming today your whole body is sore. I agree that keeping your mind on what your doing will help and the Pilates class sounds like a great idea. Take care.
Yes, it was quite a fall and I’m realizing now, that I’ve been trying to prove that I’m tougher than that fall and that it really didn’t hurt me that badly. The truth is, it really rattled me, it hurt a lot, I felt like crying, and after getting my bearings, and having some time to relax with kind people in the cool breeze, that rather going in to listen to some music, I really would have rather gone home. And that’s the truth. Once again, I was trying to prove that 🌟I am enough🌟 to others that evening, to all of you here, and maybe mostly to myself. Thanks, Carol Ann, for reflecting back to me what I had said. . As I read it, I realized that I had not told the whole story. ♥️
An elderly neighbor (82+) will be moving soon. I’ve known her over 30 years, and she’s moving to easier housing. I’ll see how I can help. She may need meals out, etc. Blessings for a new week-sunshine’s returned ☀️☮️
I already answered today’s question but after listening to the morning news, I turned to poetry to lift my heart and soul. Thought it might be uplifting to some of you. When I lived on a small farm many years ago and my grandson, who is now a father himself, was a pre-schooler, after sundown, we used to sit on the front porch swing and watch the stars. This poem reminded me of those precious memories.
Side by Side by Side by Side by Side by Side by Side
March 13, 2026 by Rosemerry
We lay on the porch in the dark
marveling up at the sky, Orion’s
belt at our feet, Jupiter just up
to the left. We chatted of satellites
and the soft milky way glow; we
named the constellations we could.
And when young Winston laid his head
on my chest and I felt the gentle ease
in his small warm weight, I was equal
parts universe and human—
astonished again by how, in this vast,
cold, expanding world, we have been given
the capacity to trust. And no matter
how bleak it sometimes gets on earth,
there are also moments such as this,
when we come together to gaze into the night
and, lingering in immensity, we feel it,
side by side by side by side by side by
side by side, the gift of loving each other,
dark though it may be.
Thank you for the memory of porch swings – my Aunt Pat and Uncle Jimmy had a big ol Victorian house with a wrap around porch and yes a porch swing – I loved sitting on it as a child.
I need to get on my feet again after my procedure, so me in the short term. Longer term, thinking about an old friend I haven’t called in a while. Wonder how he’s doing.
Thank you so much Carol. Results tell me this is an ongoing challenge, unfortunately, but I’ll focus on what I can control. Be well and wishing you a healthy week.
I woke up this morning very concerned about my mail man because the post office is under a medical order to deliver my mail to my door. My sidewalk and driveway are very icy after a storm yesterday. I bundled up and did my best to spread some deicer but my efforts were not very successful as when I started slipping and sliding, I knew I had to quit before I fell. So, I guess I must accept that I’m the one that needs care today.
Mary, My mail man is also very good to me. He brings my garbage cart back up to the house after its been emptied by the city. He checks on me from time to time. He is a beautiful person. The deicer I managed to spread did create a narrow way for him to walk up to the house and my mailbox. I was so thankful.
I need my care right now – health, finances, spiritual. I have several challenges in each area on which to focus, and hopefully that will improve things along the way. It also helps me to care for others “care-fully”. I have a friend with metastatic cancer. She’s doing well, now – so well, I forget she’s living with that and is also a recent widow. I need to check in with her more frequently.
Wishing you and your friend much love and support, Katrina. Cancer can be so sneaky, I hear what you’re saying – had the same experience with my friend.
Our state and city have been hit very hard by the storm. I can care for others by staying off the roads and praying for the safety of those that need to do their jobs. I am grateful for school and business closings. I will check on folks that may be vulnerable in these conditions Mother nature has thrown a whamy.
There are people in my life that I check in on regularly with a phone call or a text. I’m not actually caring for them, but maybe caring about them.
There are my cats. They depend on me. And I give them lots of love and care. And of course my wife, Elena. We care for each other and take care of each other. I am certainly very lucky. And I have been trying to take better care of myself. Eating better, stretching more, and engaging in my hobbies, taking care of my mental health. It’s not always easy. It takes effort. And sometimes that effort is monumental. And other times it’s a pleasure.
Strange how that works.
“They depend on me.” That line reminded me of my 15 year old granddaughter. A couple of years ago she told me that their husky dog, Boba, depended on the Family! Thanks for the memory jog Charlie.
You’re right,
dear Charlie . . .
it’s not always easy.
I have the same strange thing going on,
and I’m sure my state of mind at the time
has something to do with it,
also my level of exhaustion at the time.
Does any of that make sense? ♥
Perhaps one day,
dear Claire,
you may be able to do that . . .
check in on others . . .
in the meantime,
there’s the phone,
email,
and writing letters.
Blessings to you . . . ♥
My loving wife; we have decided to move from Phoenix (12 years here) to the mid west where we both have family and friends. She has two sisters and three brothers, and I have two brothers and two sisters, all within a few hours drive of our intended final location, and I have a daughter that will be less than 8 hours away. Our main motivation is that we are aging well, but being in our 60s and 70s we know from first hand experience that having family nearby is important to help maintain that good health, and to give a hand if and when we start to fail. And we can also give a hand to them if necessary. The move is a bit of a daunting task, and we have a plan: one step at a time.
You’re very wise doing this now, John. My husband and I made a move like this that was for our long-term benefit as we get older. It was important to me to establish a social network and a sense of community long before I think we might need any help with anything. I’m so glad we moved while we have the energy and ability to get to know the place and the people. I’m still working and our choice of location was tied to that more than to family, but it’s my favorite place of any town I’ve lived in, and I hope maybe someday my older daughter might end up moving here. My younger daughter is a world traveler, so who knows where she’ll end up, and wherever it is she’ll only be there for a while before she gets restless and moves again. My husband’s two children live in our same state and are a few hours drive away.
I hope your move goes as smoothly as it possibly can. With each move i’ve made over the past few years I’ve purged more and more things I don’t need to keep. That’s such a nice feeling to clear the decks and put things away into cupboards and drawers in the new place that are organized, at least at that moment!
One of my dear Friend’s son has been incarcerated. Extending extra care to her and her husband has been on my daily radar. Some days, it is just a check-in. Other days, it is a shared meal. Our sauna has offered a great release of tension for them, or as my Friend says, it helps her recalibrate her nervous system. Simply, or some days not so simply, listening is the highest form of care. ♥️
I think it’s me. I’ve been kind of down on myself for putting off this project I need to do for my certification. I know what I need to do, but because it’s an area of teaching that I’m truly not that interested in, I just keep avoiding it. Anyhow, I need to give myself some grace and remember that I learned a lot in this particular section. Plenty enough to put together a great prenatal yoga class and submit it so that I can move forward!
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Creating things . . .
working on projects,
are both an inspiration to me
and spiritual coffee for my soul.
I put all of my care and attention
into it.
I forget that the rest of the world exists,
and everything else
falls by the wayside.
When I was doing bead work
I loved fashioning that first earring,
but dreamed of having someone
to make its mate . . .
I was already thinking ahead
to how I would do the next pair.
While working one one
ideas would bubble up
with variations of designs, patterns and stones
I might use in the next one.
When I set myself to deep clean the kitchen
I’m meticulous
and do not skip a single detail,
but then
I’m ready to move on to the next room,
and am not so interested in cleaning the kitchen again
for awhile,
which doesn’t work well in day to day life.
I care,
but once I’ve given it all of my attention
I want it to take care of itself
for awhile.
There are flaws
in how I approach these things . . .
I’d rather start a new earring
than finish the second one.
I do a beautiful job cleaning the kitchen,
refinishing the dresser,
even sometimes planting in the garden,
but want to do another room,
start sanding an end table,
or open up another garden space
to toil in,
imagining what I might plant
and where..
I have yet to learn
how to care properly
in the long term.
This doesn’t seem to apply to the beings in my life–
just creative endeavors,
which are also living things,
but of a different nature and quality.
So I will take the question of who (or what)
needs my care
to heart,
and slow down.
Love what I care about a little more,
and not forget
that what I put attention into
I will reap the most rewarding
blessings.♥
Your cleaning method sounds like mine, meticulously cleaning, feeling proud of the result, and then feeling very much done. It should take care of itself from there, right?
😂
We have several things in common, Sparrow, as we’ve noticed before. And here’s one more. ♥️
🙂
When I began practicing presence, the saying from older bilingual folks, here in the San Luis Valley, ‘put attention’, in Spanish ‘pones atencion’ (I do not know how to place the accent mark over the o) took upon a new respect for those that had told me that phrase as a way to flow though life.
In any language,
presence of mind
is understood,
dear Joseph,
as you say . . .
paying attention to our moments
deserves all of our respect.
Gracias. ♥
Kinda overwhelmed lately with too much going on so I think I am the one that could use a step back. My Aunt died last week and so I was dealing with cousin drama and my son is on vacation so I am watching his dog and work has been non-stop busy. We have one person out on medical leave until the end of April. Tomorrow we all (my team minus our mgr) all signed up to make candles though for an hour and a half so I am looking forward to that down time!!
I’m so sorry to hear about your aunt, Robin Ann. I hope you find some pockets of peace this week.
My condolences on the loss of your Aunt Robin Ann.
I’m sorry about your aunt, Robin Ann. Enjoy your time making candles – sounds like you deserve that downtime and care!
Definitely sounds as if you could use some care, Robin Ann. I hope the scent of the candles and the activity we’ll give you some respite and recharge.
I need my own care right now. Saturday evening I went to an open mic event at a cafe/entertainment venue. I was feeling good about going, as my husband was disinterested and I had decided to go on my own. As I was walking toward the entrance I could hear the music and noticed that the doors were open. There were four people sitting in chairs just outside the door. I made eye contact with the woman and was starting to smile, when BAMMM, I hit the cement walkway face down.
First thought. What the _ _ _ _!!!!! Ouch! Ouch!! Ouch!!! Then embarrassment…I am lying on the ground face down. Oh, Mary…. So my nose swelled up and was red, I had an abrasion between my eyes, an abrasion above my mouth on the left side, and one inside my lower lip where my teeth pushed into my lip. Oh yeah, and I skinned my left knee. Did I mention that I was embarrassed? So with help I sat up, but didn’t want to get up in order to sit on a chair yet. So I sat on the ground for maybe 10 or 15 minutes, and then was helped up to sit in a chair. A few times I thought I was going to cry, but didn’t. I thought about leaving, but I wasn’t sure I should drive, and I hated to end my evening like that. It was a beautiful evening in the low 70’s with a nice breeze. And several people came to check on me, bringing me ice, and sitting with me. Everyone was very nice and I laughed as I told them that I would say to my husband, “You should have seen the other guy!” The swelling went down some, after lots of ice, so after about 45 minutes I went inside, listened to some music, and had some lavender mint tea with lots of honey. About 45 minutes later I went home. Oh yeah, did I mention I had tripped over an oddly placed mini step that was about 4 inches tall? (I was very relieved to find out that I had tripped over something other than my own two feet.)
So what to make of this?
Does this mean I’m an old person now who can’t walk around without endangering myself?
I think my age is not the point.
*What I can learn from this is that I need to be more careful. I’ve been accident prone for a very long time. Maybe always. I frequently almost trip over something, but then catch myself. So very simply I should slow down a bit and look where I’m going.
*Also, I found a Pilates class, three days a week that is for posture, balance and spinal alignment. That should be helpful.
* I’m going to get some nightlights for my home that will come on at night based on movement in a room.
*Lastly, I am realizing, more and more, the importance of staying in the moment. When I keep my mind on what I am doing, rather than who knows what, I will be much less likely to trip over something.
And finally, I realize that I need to take better care of myself in all ways. Get more sleep, eat more protein, increase the variety of foods that I eat, make time for art, stay active, rest when needed, listen to my body, stay faithful to answering and reflecting on the Daily Question, and give my body, heart and soul, all it needs, plus a little bit more.
And be present and enjoy my life.
Sending peace to all.
Mary
Falls are the worse. I am glad you had immediate help. May the next few days bring lots of healing. I fell about 7 years ago resulting in a fractured femur. I had fun with it and had 2 stories of how it happened when people asked “what happened?”
Being aware is so important. Blessings
Yes, Yram, being aware. After this fall I will be more aware.
Oh my, you broke your femur! Ouch! That’s a big bone to break. That must have been quite painful.
Mary, I hope you’re feeling better as the week progresses. A fall in private is one thing, and then a fall at an event, in public, adds that layer of mortification. I’m so sorry this happened. As others have said, nothing to do with age, but then there’s the perception that it’s age-related … not an easy thing to recover from, and so sudden! Be well, heal up, enjoy some peace this week.
Yes, Drea. Yes and yes. I was mortified. And it was very sudden, very fast. I was on the ground in an instant. So much for making an entrance. I have to chuckle at that.
Thank you, Drea. I have been resting and that has felt good.
Mary, what a story. As so many have said, falls happen out of the blue. We don’t do it on purpose, that’s why we call them accidents. And as Sparrow said, it can happen at any age, yet when we are older, it is viewed differently. Heal beautifully, Mary, heart, mind, body, and Spirit. ♥️
Thank you so much, Mary.
Thank you for, “Heal beautifully, Mary, heart, mind, body, and spirit.”
I will do just that! ☀️
I’m sorry to hear of your fall Mary. I hope you are feeling better. Thank God for the kindness of strangers.
Absolutely, Michele, I am thankful for the kindness of strangers! They really comforted me, and helped so much! Thanks for pointing that out!
Oh my goodness, I am so sorry about your fall! Seems like it gave you a lot to ponder, though, so perhaps that is the bright side of what happened. I’m glad you stayed for tea and music 🙂 Both my husband and I fell last week – and reading other responses, we are reminded that it happens to everyone! My husband slipped on some tree gumballs when he went to take the trash out, and I fell tripping over a branch on a trail while walking the dogs. AND I fell with a poop bag in my hand that I am incredibly grateful did not bust open with the pressure!
You are not alone, friend 💜
Thank you, SunnyPatti, for reminding me other people fall, too. That really does help. And yes, it did give me some things to think about, especially in terms of who and how I need to be in order to be “enough.” 💕
Oh no Mary ! Everyone can fall down. Be gentle with yourself and slow down . Time to heal and take good care of yourself. Get well soon. 🌼
Thank you, dear Antoinette.
It truly is time to be gentle with myself and slow down.
Reading this brought tears. Thank you, again.
Dear Mary it’s ok to cry as well and it is truly healing to let go of ourselves. As we know our bodies are impermanent so we can be gentle and learn to surrender ourselves. I was crying last night when I walked Simba- my dog. Mostly about letting go of someone who no longer is in my life. These “pictures” even of our bodies can bring us to our knees! No pun intended! 😂 we can laugh with each other about this too . I know you have a good sense of humour as well ! Heal yourself and take care . Hugs 🤗
♥️♥️♥️
I’m so sorry this happened to you, Mary! I took a bad fall in my neighborhood last year because I was looking at my phone and didn’t see an upheaved section of the sidewalk. It is so, so *violent* to fall unexpectedly to the ground! It’s a shock to the mental system as well as to the body. I’ve had other falls, including one a few years ago in which I broke my wrist, and it’s always like a stroke of lightning. I hope you have time to let yourself heal gently.
Thank you so much, Barb. I didn’t think about it that way, but yes, it was violent. One moment I’m going about my life, and then within a millisecond my body and face slam onto the cement pavement. The speed of it was shocking. It really shook me. I didn’t even want to get off the ground because I was afraid I’d fall again, and at that point my legs probably were wobbly. It really did shake me. Thanks for recognizing that. I am making the time to heal gently. Thanks again, Barb. 🙂 ☀️
Mary, so sorry that happened. I know the feeling well, I slipped, and slid and bounced down some stairs last week. I was carrying a camera on a tripod. I saved the camera and bounced down on my left buttock and my elbow. I’m still a little sore, but it could have been so much worse.
These things are very humbling, but we survived to tell the tale. 🙂
Yes, very humbling. Thank you, Charlie, for telling me about your fall. I may have a similar philosophy on carrying things up and down my stairs as you have. My philosophy seems to be- I think I can probably get it all in one trip. 🙀 And, yes, thankfully we both survived to tell the tale. 😊
Dear Mary, for a few years now, I have been reminding myself throughout the day, generally after a first small stubbing or stumble “Pick up your feet!” That damn ground is not getting any softer.
😂 I am laughing out loud as I type. Very true. The ground surely is not getting softer! Thanks, Joseph. 😊
I have had,
and I think most of us as well,
similar experiences,
no matter our age.
(It’s worse when it happens
when one is older)
because the first thing anyone thinks
is it has to do with age,
not clumsiness or distraction.
This too
shall pass,
dear Mary,
and the only one who will remember the incident
will be you. 🙂
Oh Sparrow. Thank you so much for that. You brought a tear to my eye.
And as usual, you have gifted me with kindness and wisdom. 💕
I am so sorry this happened Mary!!
Thank you, Robin Ann. ☀️
Oh, Mary…that was quite a tumble.I’m so glad to hear you were able to stay and enjoy the music and the kindness of others. I’m assuming today your whole body is sore. I agree that keeping your mind on what your doing will help and the Pilates class sounds like a great idea. Take care.
Yes, it was quite a fall and I’m realizing now, that I’ve been trying to prove that I’m tougher than that fall and that it really didn’t hurt me that badly. The truth is, it really rattled me, it hurt a lot, I felt like crying, and after getting my bearings, and having some time to relax with kind people in the cool breeze, that rather going in to listen to some music, I really would have rather gone home. And that’s the truth. Once again, I was trying to prove that 🌟I am enough🌟 to others that evening, to all of you here, and maybe mostly to myself. Thanks, Carol Ann, for reflecting back to me what I had said. . As I read it, I realized that I had not told the whole story. ♥️
I was just thinking the same thing- me!
An elderly neighbor (82+) will be moving soon. I’ve known her over 30 years, and she’s moving to easier housing. I’ll see how I can help. She may need meals out, etc. Blessings for a new week-sunshine’s returned ☀️☮️
I already answered today’s question but after listening to the morning news, I turned to poetry to lift my heart and soul. Thought it might be uplifting to some of you. When I lived on a small farm many years ago and my grandson, who is now a father himself, was a pre-schooler, after sundown, we used to sit on the front porch swing and watch the stars. This poem reminded me of those precious memories.
Side by Side by Side by Side by Side by Side by Side
March 13, 2026 by Rosemerry
We lay on the porch in the dark
marveling up at the sky, Orion’s
belt at our feet, Jupiter just up
to the left. We chatted of satellites
and the soft milky way glow; we
named the constellations we could.
And when young Winston laid his head
on my chest and I felt the gentle ease
in his small warm weight, I was equal
parts universe and human—
astonished again by how, in this vast,
cold, expanding world, we have been given
the capacity to trust. And no matter
how bleak it sometimes gets on earth,
there are also moments such as this,
when we come together to gaze into the night
and, lingering in immensity, we feel it,
side by side by side by side by side by
side by side, the gift of loving each other,
dark though it may be.
This is beautiful, thank you for sharing.
Thank you for the memory of porch swings – my Aunt Pat and Uncle Jimmy had a big ol Victorian house with a wrap around porch and yes a porch swing – I loved sitting on it as a child.
Beautiful. 🙏
I am grateful for you Carol Ann. Thank you.
Thank you, Carol Ann. ♥️
I need to get on my feet again after my procedure, so me in the short term. Longer term, thinking about an old friend I haven’t called in a while. Wonder how he’s doing.
Wishing you a speedy recovery Drea.
Thank you Michele!
Sending healing energy Drea.
Thank you Antoinette!
Soft foods, Drea! I hope the results are good.
Barb, I realized the soft foods thing a little late. I guess I’m getting better at these procedures with time. Hope you have a wonderful week.
Drea, Glad your procedure is over and hoping all results are good. Take care, gain strength, stay well.
Thank you so much Carol. Results tell me this is an ongoing challenge, unfortunately, but I’ll focus on what I can control. Be well and wishing you a healthy week.
I woke up this morning very concerned about my mail man because the post office is under a medical order to deliver my mail to my door. My sidewalk and driveway are very icy after a storm yesterday. I bundled up and did my best to spread some deicer but my efforts were not very successful as when I started slipping and sliding, I knew I had to quit before I fell. So, I guess I must accept that I’m the one that needs care today.
You are so kind, Carol Ann, to want to protect your mail man. I’m glad you didn’t fall. ☀️
Mary, My mail man is also very good to me. He brings my garbage cart back up to the house after its been emptied by the city. He checks on me from time to time. He is a beautiful person. The deicer I managed to spread did create a narrow way for him to walk up to the house and my mailbox. I was so thankful.
☀️
Yikes – stay safe, Carol.
I need my care right now – health, finances, spiritual. I have several challenges in each area on which to focus, and hopefully that will improve things along the way. It also helps me to care for others “care-fully”. I have a friend with metastatic cancer. She’s doing well, now – so well, I forget she’s living with that and is also a recent widow. I need to check in with her more frequently.
Wishing you and your friend much love and support, Katrina. Cancer can be so sneaky, I hear what you’re saying – had the same experience with my friend.
Our state and city have been hit very hard by the storm. I can care for others by staying off the roads and praying for the safety of those that need to do their jobs. I am grateful for school and business closings. I will check on folks that may be vulnerable in these conditions Mother nature has thrown a whamy.
Stay safe and warm, Yram.
There are people in my life that I check in on regularly with a phone call or a text. I’m not actually caring for them, but maybe caring about them.
There are my cats. They depend on me. And I give them lots of love and care. And of course my wife, Elena. We care for each other and take care of each other. I am certainly very lucky. And I have been trying to take better care of myself. Eating better, stretching more, and engaging in my hobbies, taking care of my mental health. It’s not always easy. It takes effort. And sometimes that effort is monumental. And other times it’s a pleasure.
Strange how that works.
“They depend on me.” That line reminded me of my 15 year old granddaughter. A couple of years ago she told me that their husky dog, Boba, depended on the Family! Thanks for the memory jog Charlie.
You’re right,
dear Charlie . . .
it’s not always easy.
I have the same strange thing going on,
and I’m sure my state of mind at the time
has something to do with it,
also my level of exhaustion at the time.
Does any of that make sense? ♥
Charlie, Your response brought joy to my heart. Yes, many times it takes effort to just be willing to do what’s best for our own mental health.
This is heartwarming to read. I am housebound with agoraphobia and alone and it is warming to hesr you check in on others like that 🙂
♥️
take baby steps Claire, one day at a time.
Perhaps one day,
dear Claire,
you may be able to do that . . .
check in on others . . .
in the meantime,
there’s the phone,
email,
and writing letters.
Blessings to you . . . ♥
My loving wife; we have decided to move from Phoenix (12 years here) to the mid west where we both have family and friends. She has two sisters and three brothers, and I have two brothers and two sisters, all within a few hours drive of our intended final location, and I have a daughter that will be less than 8 hours away. Our main motivation is that we are aging well, but being in our 60s and 70s we know from first hand experience that having family nearby is important to help maintain that good health, and to give a hand if and when we start to fail. And we can also give a hand to them if necessary. The move is a bit of a daunting task, and we have a plan: one step at a time.
Good luck on your upcoming move John.
You’re very wise doing this now, John. My husband and I made a move like this that was for our long-term benefit as we get older. It was important to me to establish a social network and a sense of community long before I think we might need any help with anything. I’m so glad we moved while we have the energy and ability to get to know the place and the people. I’m still working and our choice of location was tied to that more than to family, but it’s my favorite place of any town I’ve lived in, and I hope maybe someday my older daughter might end up moving here. My younger daughter is a world traveler, so who knows where she’ll end up, and wherever it is she’ll only be there for a while before she gets restless and moves again. My husband’s two children live in our same state and are a few hours drive away.
I hope your move goes as smoothly as it possibly can. With each move i’ve made over the past few years I’ve purged more and more things I don’t need to keep. That’s such a nice feeling to clear the decks and put things away into cupboards and drawers in the new place that are organized, at least at that moment!
Yes, a move is a lot of work and stress. I think you are wise to be doing it when you are still in good shape physically and mentally.
One of my dear Friend’s son has been incarcerated. Extending extra care to her and her husband has been on my daily radar. Some days, it is just a check-in. Other days, it is a shared meal. Our sauna has offered a great release of tension for them, or as my Friend says, it helps her recalibrate her nervous system. Simply, or some days not so simply, listening is the highest form of care. ♥️
I think it’s me. I’ve been kind of down on myself for putting off this project I need to do for my certification. I know what I need to do, but because it’s an area of teaching that I’m truly not that interested in, I just keep avoiding it. Anyhow, I need to give myself some grace and remember that I learned a lot in this particular section. Plenty enough to put together a great prenatal yoga class and submit it so that I can move forward!
Picturing it done!
thank you!
Myself for now.
Happy Monday Everyone.
☀️
Give yourself good care, Michele. You deserve it.
The alma of of our shared earth and all its inhabitants. Peace, Love & Light.
New word for me too. Thank you, Joseph.
New word for me too . . .
and I share your care and concern,
dear Joseph.
Peace, Love, and Light
to you as well
(and maybe a drop or two of rain) ♥
Amen!
Thank you for the new word , « alma », Joseph. I had to look it up; heart, essence, being .♥️