Another Friday

First a lucky penny.

It's been almost a week since I wrote here.  The days go by fast-slow or slow-fast.  But it's never consistent.  Sometimes it feels like an afternoon last a couple years or more and other times the afternoon has passed before I can formulate my what-to-do plan. The weirdness just continues on and on.

The other night a friend asked me about my blog.  When I told him I had to make it private, he wanted to know why and it was nearly impossible for me to articulate the reason why.  That started me thinking, making me wonder if I made it public again what would happen?   I'm going to think about that for a while.

Then a lucky quarter.

Sunday morning when we walked (it's become my favorite morning to walk - it's a day when most everyone else that is usually out on the trails / streets stays home so we can bask in the quiet sunrise and feel peace.  Anyway, I found a penny.  Of course I picked it up.  A few blocks later I found a quarter.  If a penny equals a day of good luck, what's a quarter worth?

Decorative tablecloth in progress.

We've walked most every morning, I finished my series of yoga and had to find a new online course to try, I've read a bunch of books. And I've worked on my tablecloth.  It's coming along quite nicely. I'll have to find a new project when this one is done, which I think will likely be in October. I've seen lots of birds - the gold finches are particularly abundant this year, and more than once we've seen deer on our morning walks.

And I've come across some quotes that resonate with me:

Marvin J. Ashton 

“Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don't judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn't handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another's weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other.

None of us need one more person bashing or pointing out where we have failed or fallen short. Most of us are already well aware of the areas in which we are weak. What each of us does need is family, friends, employers, and brothers and sisters who support us, who have the patience to teach us, who believe in us, and who believe we're trying to do the best we can, in spite of our weaknesses. What ever happened to giving each other the benefit of the doubt? What ever happened to hoping that another person would succeed or achieve? What ever happened to rooting for each other?”  

And this one by Dieter Uchtdorf:  

As the Lord is patient with us, let us be patient with those we serve. Understand that they, like us, are imperfect. They, like us, make mistakes. They, like us, want others to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Never give up on anyone. And that includes not giving up on yourself.

I believe that every one of us, at one time or another, can identify with the servant in Christ’s parable who owed money to the king and who pled with the king, saying, “Lord, have patience with me.”

I'm trying hard to maintain some sort of equilibrium during this strangeness.  I keep thinking that it would be so much easier if people would just be kind to each other - if they would abandon the hatefulness of the protests and demonstrations.  Sometimes I'm better at it than others.  My prayers have a constant plea:  that I will be strong and kind to those around me regardless of - well anything.  I'm so grateful for the kindness of others. I have been the recipient.