Let's Eat Cake

The birthday wishes I have received from family and friends warmed my heart as another birthday has come and gone. I considered it a gift. I reflected on the other gifts I have received throughout the years. No doubt. One gift has been "

I always appreciated my Mom when she asked, “What kind of cake I would you like for your birthday?” I always gave the same response: “A pecan pie.” How did she fit the candles in the pie? If my Mom was not able to go to Maloney’s grocery or walk to the IGA, she made a pineapple upside down or German chocolate cake because the mixes and other ingredients were in our small pantry. (My mom did not drive until I was in maybe the fifth or sixth grade, and the stores were closed on Sundays so I the thought of cake or even a pecan pie was a gift.) I was happy with the pie or cake because I understood we did not have a lot of money but I had a celebration and felt special. When I had a birthday slumber party with my friends, there was a store bought cake. I secretly missed the pecan pie, pineapple upside down cake or a bite of German chocolate cake. I stopped at a neighborhood establishment, Dilettante's on my birthday a few days ago, and its doors closed last night after serving the neighborhood for years. I realized it the closing was wasn’t really about me, nor was my birthday.  Another gift is about all of you who have created my memories, and I will continue to write the chapters of my life as I walk with those who are in personal and professional relationships with me.  Let’s make more memories together. Let's eat cake. Let's see the gifts in our lives.

Do Good Fences Make Good Neighbours?

I shot this photo one day last week. The trauma helicopter took flight as I stood behind the fence. I reached out to the beauty of the world. I could see it but I could not touch it. I spoke to the mountain. No response. I no longer existed.

The helicopter returned. An unknown person on a gurney was rushed away. My desire was to help. The fence was in my way. I sat on the bench and began to pray.

I read  Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall” as a Shawnee Junior High School student . I thought I understood the poem at the time. I did not understand it until today. “Do good fences make good neighbours?”

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-p…/…/detail/44266

Let Your Light Shine

View from the Central Neighborhood Cascade Mountains Seattle, WA

As the light shines upon another day, more lessons will be learned, memories will be created and service to others will be shared.

There are so many people, who plan to march or protest “against” this or they are “anti” that. How can our language be re-framed to illuminate the positive?  How can we lead by example and be a glimmer of hope for others? Let’s uplift our country and our communities through the positive and build each other up.

I was raised that your time and energies were given to organizations you believed in, and you were mission-driven in your volunteerism. So I encourage you to let your light shine by volunteering for projects that speak to you through service to others and allow your voice to heard.

I feel a song coming on. Can you guess? It’s “This Little Light of Mine.”  I will close my eyes and sing it as I did with my Memory Care residents, where I learned lessons, memories were created and service to others shared.

Turbulent Waters Offer Reflection

Chalice Hymnal

The overcast sky with the wetness of the grass contributing to my slow yet thoughtful walk to the bank of the Cedar River. The water continued to call me. I stared into the murkiness of the turbulent river water and prayed the hymn: "I've Got Peace Like a River" for our world.

May each of let the water speak and wash over us and let's accept peace, love and joy.

On this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I made the decision and drove down Rainier Avenue South and took a photo of these murals.

I hope you find beauty and reflect upon this quote by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don't know each other; they don't know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”