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Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Ahhh...Vacation! Hmmm....Vacation? And...I'm Melting :-)


On vacation we went...

I wasn't sure what to expect. 
 
We'd certainly been away for a day or so together before, but never for more than that--- never with the express notion of "being on vacation".  So, the fact that we were on vacation was a big thing. 

Forget about the destination..."Being on vacation" means different things to different people.  To me, it means...
  • sleeping in ---in a king size bed with soft sheets. 
  • Getting up in the morning & just lazying around for a while with my coffee.
  • Taking a long hot shower - while the room is cool, so when I get out the cool air hits my skin!
  • Brunch in a nice restaurant--- not worrying about the cost of every single thing--- and not worrying about the calories of every single thing that goes into my mouth.
  • Sitting on a park bench, watching the world go by... admiring the differences in sights from my normal day.
  • Visiting places or things that I have never seen before - or that I did see before & am dying to take you to because I just want you to see what I see.  (This is such a dangerous thought when you are engaged to oil and you are water! LOL)
I wasn't sure what "being on vacation" meant to him... But I was about to find out.

Well! It turns out that other than "sleeping in" - (he gets up before the chickens--- before the roosters!!!  EVERY DAY!), "being on vacation" meant doing what I wanted to do - no questions asked (wow!).  It meant...
  • not being upset every time we hit a bump in the planning road. 
  • going into museums and letting his guard down so he could enjoy the displays... not focused on race, gender, the economics of the artist - or the moment... preconceived notions were left at the door so that when he saw beauty, he could actually see it!  And appreciate it!  And now he is hungering for it!  Longing to see the miracle of "simple" blown glass formed into something that beckons your head to turn in it's direction;  to see artifacts from people who lived so long ago; to hear the majesty of history & determination by humans to come back from disasters even stronger; to know the hope that they certainly "should not" have had - yet they did.    
  • getting into the hot tub that was overflowing with chlorine "just to see" if it would soothe our aching muscles
  • swimming - because it is the exercise I can do that doesn't make my back scream with pain
  • giving me a kiss even when I have 'coffee breath"
  • It meant not worrying about every cent - not going overboard --- simply appreciating our good fortune to be able to get away.
Little did I know that this vacation was his gift to me...
"Don't you want to ...?" I'd ask;
"We always do what I want to do, let's do what you want to do." he'd reply. 
 
At that very moment, all my cares melted, all my fears about becoming a "wife" and he becoming a "husband" melted away... because loving someone gives you a warm feeling inside, but being loved & appreciated by that someone makes your insides melt. 
And... I'm melting... :-)

Monday, August 6, 2012

The world needs more of these people!

A few weeks ago, Polly Anna told me she had skin cancer.  While I was with her I tried to make light of this... "it's treatable/curable", I'd say.   "Don't worry - God would never take my best friend away--- see, Polly Anna - it's all about me!" I'd quip.  And she would still worry, but for a minute she would smile.  Hopefully it bought her relief from the constant worry that comes with cancer.

Today, Polly Anna went to the doctor for a follow up & got "really, really good news".  When I read this on her Facebook post, I sighed with relief.  Not only because I didn't want to see my friend suffer with this terrible disease, but more importantly because I know in my heart what a special person she is.

The world needs more people like Polly Anna!  The world needs people who...
  • For their birthday celebration ask everyone to bring a winter hat that she can then drop off at the homeless shelter. 
  • Worry about their neighbors and go out of their way to make the lives of the less fortunate a little better
  • Is a good mother to their child & other's children when their parents are unable to care for their babies properly
  • See the beauty all around us
  • Are not afraid to step outside  of the world into which she was born to get to know someone else - whose ideas and ideals were not so conventional
  • Will hold the single mother's hand when she is wracked with fear that her children are going down the wrong path - where Polly Anna says and BELIEVES that "it will be okay"
  • Will allow their children to follow their dreams --- respectfully & responsibly
  • Sees the positive EVERY   SINGLE    DAY - regardless of her circumstance
  • Believes in first loves and second loves
  • Believes in true love
  • Will be their friend's cheering section - because she knows it is what the friend truly wants - even when Polly is not so sure
  • Who will work bingo in a smoke filled room for 4 years to ensure their child received the eduction of her choice
  • Who walks the walk and talks the talk when it comes to most everything - but especially [Catholic] Social Justice teachings...
  • Value the love of a family - given or chosen.
I could go on and on about Polly Anna.   I have yet to meet many people like her in my 50+ years of life.  Not that I haven't met good people - I have...  But there is something very special about this woman.  I can count on my fingers how many people I have met like this in my life.  Polly Anna is  unique.  Her faith in action is unique.  

She not only sees the good in everyone, she sees the potential, the promise, the hope and the joy in each and every person she encounters.  In short - she DOES see Jesus in every person she meets.  

The world needs more people like Polly Anna - many, many more. 

For now, I am happy to call Polly Anna my friend - and I am indeed blessed that she is in the world I inhabit.

Dear God - Thank you so much for keeping Polly Anna safe!  We really need her!"