my first day off in 12 days and I can't sleep! i have dreamt of my grandmother from the moment my eyes closed this evening. i think of her often, but this summer when I put in my normal
philosophy order I decided to add something new...
pure grace! the smell brought back powerful memories from my childhood of summers on the jersey shore. my mother loved the beach and we took many trips each year to jersey where we stayed at a place called "the garfield." it was built in the 1800's...i'm not even sure of it's condition or if it even stands today. we always stayed in the same room. the windows would always be open and the breeze blowing the curtains. the smell of perfectly clean sheets & hotel soap.
on this particular trip my mother would tell my grandmother that she (my grandmother) had cancer and that it was terminal. i love that, even though she knew this, in that moment she was just there with me & my mom. that she just smiled as i covered her in sand.
that she spent the days with me getting water for sand castle moats & sifting through sand.
that she just walked with me.
two years after this trip my grandmother would come to live with us...my mother & i. as she was bedridden i came down with scarlet fever. i was very sick and was paralyzed from the waist down for over a month from the illness. my mother had to work so we had a full time nurse. when i woke my grandmother would have our nurse bring me to her room where i would spend the day. her resistance was nonexistent and I was contagious. i love that, even though she knew this, in that moment she was just there with me!
pure grace is the clean smell of soap and water, the memory of fresh air woven into a set of crisp, white cotton sheets, a cold deep breath on a snowy winter night, the best summer morning you have ever known, the one white t-shirt that feels better that all the rest.
one of the best tools for longevity and good health is not just taking a walk outdoors but taking your walk while holding the hand of God. when we walk in gratitude for each and every moment, we empower ourselves by empowering our spirits. when we breathe in nature through our eyes, ears and lips, we become certain that not only are our souls eternal, but that God knows how to manage our lives, our troubles, our worries and our days better than we do. so today and everyday "let go and let God."
This is all of the FIRST Teams mentors. We took this photo at the end of last semester. Some of them were able to return to school early to attend the retreat and the others will be back this Wednesday...I can't wait!!! Each one of them will put in 200+ volunteer hours for FIRST Teams this year...not including all the hours of volunteer work they put in throughout the community & their churches. Each one of these faces represents a blessing in my life. I enjoy working with them!!!
