What We Are Together

In the past year I have become a very big fan of audio books. When "Books on Tape" was first a thing, I was not a big fan. My feeling was that I preferred to read on my own and give the characters the voices in my head. I didn't want to give the control of the story to the reader. About 2 years ago, I took advantage of an offer of 1 free book on Audible. I picked Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham. I picked this book for 2 reasons. I adore Lauren Graham and Gilmore Girls, and she was the reader. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the audible experience, so much so, that often times when I was listening in the car, I would remain in the car after I reached my destination to "get to a good stopping place." Since then, I have listened to several audio books thanks to the fact that I can do it for free through the library. Before COVID-19 and my remote work situation, I was going through quite a few. Since March and "Staying home" I haven't really listened to many, but I have started listening while I am working at home. Friday afternoon I finished a book called An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green. Hank Green is the brother of John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars, Turtles All the Way Down, Paper Towns and many others. To my knowledge, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is Hank's first novel. WOW!!!! As I sat in my living room taking my "lunch" Friday, I cried through the last 2 chapters. Now, I am an emotional person. A lot of things make me cry. I tear up quite often, but I think what really got to me in this book (which was released in 2018) was how much it spoke to everything we are going through right now and have been going through for most of 2020. A quote from the book, "We are each individuals, but the far greater thing is what we are together, and if that isn't protected and cherished, we are headed to a bad place." This is not a new thought or concept. "Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much." ~ Helen Keller, "A House Divided against itself shall not stand." ~ Jesus. I could go on and on and fill this page with wisdom about Unity. The problem is we just don't seem to get it. Why have we not learned that we need to come together? I am 56 years old, and I have been through a lot of things in my time, but I am amazed at every thing we are going through right now, and the absolute disregard that people have for human life. It makes me so sad. I saw something on Facebook today, that had several statements responding to the folks who respond to Black Lives Matter with All Lives Matter.
We have not "cherished what we are together, and this, this time right now is our "bad place." How will you respond?

Mothers Day in Quarantine!

My mom, and 2 girls May of 2019

It's midnight, and Mother's Day 2020 is over. This, I'm sure, has been like no other Mother's Day has ever been for many, and I among them. Restaurants that would have had full reservation books today for Brunch and Beyond sat silent. Parks that would have held picnics and parties lay still. College Graduations that some typically hold on Mother's Day with stadiums or arenas full sat empty. No church service remembering our mother's who have passed and honoring our Mothers who are with us. Many older Mothers who live in elder care facilities, including my own, in isolation, not allowed to have visitors from the outside. No BIG celebrations today. Just typing that phrase made me think of a quote from a book we all know, "Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe, Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more." In this case, Mother's Day is Christmas, and Corona Virus or COVID-19 is The Grinch. Everything we have gotten used to to celebrate has been taken away. All of the things mentioned above were absent today, but what can't be taken away is what we are learning from this experience. I have not seen my mother since the beginning of March. She, praise God, is still healthy, and the facility where she resides is doing everything they can to keep their residents safe, but it has been really weird to not be able to see her. We have had a really hard time with getting her to understand the technology so we can face time. Before all of this happened, when I would get really busy, I had a really bad habit of saying to my self, "I'll go next week, when things have slowed down." Then next week turned into two or three more weeks. I did see her for a very long visit just before they stopped outside visitors, but who knew that would last over 2 months and counting. Don't get me wrong. I am not about regret, but I am all about learning lessons when they are presented. We never know when we'll get the chance to see someone again. At the very least, when all this is over, My mom and I are going to have an electronics seminar so even when I do get busy, and I can't physically make it across town, I can still see her. How many people today who are lucky enough to be with their Mom sat down to a wonderful meal that everybody pitched in on? I just envision Mothers and daughters standing in the kitchen side by side cooking and laughing instead of sitting in a crowded waiting area waiting for their name to be called in an over-crowded, noisy restaurant. I'm not bashing restaurants! I love restaurants! In fact we ordered in today, but maybe people needed togetherness at home today. I guess if I want to take anything away from this weird time we are going through, it's togetherness. I know that I have always adored my 2 girls. To steal a line from Rory Gilmore, "My mother and I are freakishly linked." Some people may say that about me and my girls. We are still very close, and they are 24 and 27. I live with one, and the other has been here from NYC since March 22nd, and we are still getting along really well. We've had a few ruffles, but all in all, it's been pretty smooth sailing. That, my friends, is a true blessing. Today, I was treated to breakfast in bed, and a wonderful dinner, and we all took a ride to deliver Krispy Kreme donuts to my Mom with taped polaroids on top of the box, and we took a walk, and binge-watched Dead to Me on Netflix. But this isn't behavior that happens only today. I am treated pretty wonderful every day of the year. I have been a single Mom since 1998. I am still a single Mom, and they make sure I am taken care of, and I couldn't ask for a better gift on Mother's Day or any day for that matter. I have not always been the best Mom, I'm sure, but I have always tried my best, and I think my girls know that. They certainly know I love them. I love them enough to be honest with them even when it's hard. I love them enough to praise them when they have earned it, and not just tell them what I think they want to hear. I love them enough to trust them to do the right thing and make the right choices, and I love them enough to learn from them. Love, friends, is messy. It's not all fluff and warm fuzzies. But hopefully through all the mess you find the treasure. I know I have. Happy Mother's Day!