Special Times

I decided to document a few stand-out memories of the past several days.

When I visited my old bakery business (now in its third ownership since I sold it in 1999), I was greeted warmly: “OH! So YOU’RE Beth?  I’ve heard SO MUCH about you!”  It was humbling to be spotlighted as a celebrity from the past!  I was glad to see the business was thriving, but also identified the cost: the owner confessed that weariness had become a lifestyle.  I pledged to encourage her long-distance via email, especially as she launches the (insanely busy) holiday season.

My best friend from first through twelfth grade met me for a mid-morning brunch.  She said, “We sure get down to the bottom line, don’t we?”  Yep.  We have a sturdy historical base, and an ongoing relationship that never stops building on that foundation!  I am fortunate to have her in my life.

At one point I stopped to consult with a local artist who had done beautiful work for me in the past, and he congenially agreed to remediate a couple of pieces of needy jewelry.  As usual, conversation launched from official topics like gold, gems, and settings to other important things like his 20-old-turtle that needed cataract surgery, and his tiger cat that had recently recovered from extensive dental work.  I felt like I’d received a down-to-earth tutorial in mercy.

Although my original BSF class of 200+ has now swollen to include over 400 women, I enjoyed reconnecting with a few old friends at this week’s session.  Afterwards I lunched with one of them at a hometown-favorite-restaurant - just plan FUN.

Every once in a while an atypical opportunity jumps out of hiding offering fresh inspiration.  Such was the case during an encouraging encounter with a delightful English teacher (originally) who became a Lutheran pastor (for 14 years) and then an Orthodox priest (for the past 11 years).  A fascinating individual!

Finally, I met with two long-time girlfriends in a semi-swank restaurant for late night soup, wine, and catching-up.

Tomorrow morning I will drive the 3+ hour trip back home.  I've been enlarged and filled with endearing memories, and am grateful.

Artificial Prosperity

Ornament-studded plastic Christmas garlands hung overhead as I strolled the mall this afternoon.  Some of the artificial holiday do-dads seemed especially excessive, as if desperately attempting to fabricate a festive mood (and encourage spending) well in advance of the season. 

I noticed people as I walked.  A blank-faced sales clerk in a temporary booth robotically shoved chunks of deep-fried food from a Styrofoam clamshell box into his mouth.  A bent-over mother plodded along as if encumbered by transparent chains, pushing a stroller holding a screaming, thrashing toddler.  An limping older man with a cane struggled to keep up with a seemingly impatient female companion.

Bass-intense music with an addictive beat blared from a certain store.  As I approached, a hard-faced woman wearing black lace hosiery and a tight black skirt rushed out its door tapping her high-heeled shoes with staccato precision.  She could have been in her 40’s, although her appearance mimicked someone much younger. A rough-looking teenaged boy with long greasy hair leaned against the storefront’s window featuring oversized pictures of sultry-looking, scantily-dressed females.  He half-stared and half-scowled at the woman as she clipped along with her large bag of purchases.

PVC Christmas trees wearing fake snow stood like icons of superficiality encircled by a low white picket fence made of plastic.   Every jam-packed store boasted incentives: two-for-one, half-price, everything in the store on sale.  A few clerks, trained in relational etiquette, offered assistance through Cheshire-cat smiles. Many shoppers seemed not to notice or care about any of this, but appeared to be preoccupied and disconnected.

I left the mall feeling shell-shocked, as if temporarily swallowed up by a façade of well-practiced consumerism.  Although appearances painted a picture of abundance and prosperity, a certain hollow quality - perhaps numbness - infused the mall today.

Exploring Deep Places

Today, while visiting our old hometown, I reconnected individually with three different friends for an average of 2-3 delightful and inspiring hours each. It was almost like I’d never even moved away, for in each case we picked up right where we’d left off months before. Each woman reminded me of virtues - among them, right perspective from Ellen in the morning, honest self-evaluation from Linda at noon, and ongoing perseverance from Kathy in the evening.

I feel safe with such people who tend to spill the beans, and less safe with others who protectively nail down the lid on their hearts.  I suppose this is because I value transparency, and find it a freeing example that invites me to be real as well. 

It seems curious that a mysterious “connection factor” exists in some relationships (sometimes even on the first meeting) but not in others.  What enables two individuals to open up and share deeper thoughts and feelings?  Is it personality, temperament, or a matter of practiced behavior? 

There seems to be a bottom line: trust.  We must trust each other. It struck me today that this is a relational quality I want to cultivate, and that casting off the shroud of self-protection and connecting with others - like Ellen, Linda, and Kathy - begins with entrusting my life to the Father who invented friendship and values relationship above all else.  Trusting Him.  

Today at the River

Our son’s country house lies in a quiet valley where deer roam freely and nature reminds us to slow down…..slooooow doooowwwwn. This afternoon we walked a half-mile or so from his house down the winding, walnut-grove-lined road to a destination point, and his golden retriever, Riley, accompanied us. 

We were greeted by a rain-swollen river, gurgling and churning with a swift current, and sparkling with blinding sun-glitter. Riley, being a water dog, took one look and without hesitation - spooosh - he was quickly submerged to his shoulders! 

We took turns throwing sticks for Riley to fetch; the current hardly deterred his swift, strong strokes in deeper water.  Finally, after a good swim-workout, he retreated to a patch of tall, dry grasses along the bank where he rolled and thrashed in wild abandon.

Meanwhile, the sun bathed our shoulders with unseasonal prickles.  It was good to be outside under blue skies, breathing fresh air - especially after receiving hard news that a friend back home was diagnosed with stage three (advanced, inoperable) lung cancer today.

We started back home, hating to bid the river good-bye, but grateful for a few moments of childlike abandonment with good companions: a playful dog, a beautiful river, and hope in a faithful God that promises not to fade. 

From Home to Home

Today I’m making a trip “home” to our ex-home-town of 30 years, where I will stay for a week.  Part of me wants to reconnect with old friends and familiar turf, while another part wants to stay right here in our snug-as-a-bug little house beside the cold-but-welcoming, white-capped lake.  I’ve re-rooted here.  This is home.

But nostalgia draws me, and once I get there I’ll have that, “I never want to leave” feeling all over again.  I’ll drive around town with a million memories pressing in, reminding me of how I belong by virtue of familiarity.  I’ll remember this store, that playground, the other restaurant.  I’ll revisit friends, some of whom I’ve known for decades.  I’m also planning to have lunch with a friend in a neighboring town I met in first grade a whopping 56 years ago.

At the end of the week I’ll return to my newer home, the one where promise predominates over memories.  I’ll gladly return and embrace the fact that life is not static, but a matter of ongoing progression toward so many things: new relationships and experiences as well as deeper faith, understanding, and hope.

Blog (hyphen or not) Worthy

According to the Urban Dictionary, “when something happens in your day that is worth mentioning on your blog (web log)” it is blog-worthy.

Blog-worthy.  An interesting word to add to other worthy words: seaworthy, blameworthy, newsworthy, praiseworthy, trustworthy – and let’s not forget unworthy. But these others are not hyphenated.  Why does blog-worthy include a hyphen?

With a little help from Google, I learned blog-worthy isn’t always hyphenated.  In fact, there seems to be a controversy raging over whether to hyphenate this “urban” word or not.  Without the hyphen, it seems more formal, almost like a surname: Sir Blogworthy.  With it, the word fits nicely with computer slang: Btw peeps, this post is hardly blog-worthy – lol.

According to the Oxford Dictionary (at the other end of the spectrum from the Urban), hyphens are falling out of favor but SHOULD be used to link compound words, particularly compound adjectives. We accept the hyphens in sugar-free, power-driven, bad-tempered, accident-prone, and quick-thinking – so why not blog-worthy?  Perhaps because all those other compounded “worthy words” (newsworthy and etc.) lack a hyphen?   

I, for one, will cast my vote for blog-worthy WITH the hyphen.  I just like the way it looks.

Soup-A-Thon

At noon today, a self-imposed race began.  How much could I accomplish in the kitchen in four hours?

On your mark…get set…GO!

Off and running…chopping veggies…boiling beans in this pan, rice in that one…baking squash…opening cans of tomatoes and sauce…peeling shrimp!

Round the first bend….big pot of jambalaya done!

Second bend…big pot of vegetable-lentil soup done!

Third bend…big pot of butternut squash soup done!

Coming down the home stretch…big pot of vegetarian spaghetti sauce done!

Much later, after dinner, I made 3 1/2 dozen 100% whole wheat crescent rolls……..and (hooray!) they’re all DONE!

Whew.  It was definitely a soupy kind of day around here - with a little bit of bakery-iness thrown in.  The smells have been intoxicating - mmmmmmmm.