LESSON #82: MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN

During the busy and, some might say, frantic, Christmas season, STOP and rest your body, mind and especially your heart. Read on:

This is a true story about a man. A very good man. For many years this man was the Choir and Music Director of a very large and wonderful church and a very large choir. A perfectionist, many said, and the choir was always excellent because of his direction. He was highly respected and loved by so many. I know this because I had the privilege to sing in his choir for years. 

After many years of giving to the church, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. It was, of course, a shock to the church, to his choir and his department.

It became evident that it was in his best interests to retire from the demanding position he held. He and his wife decided to travel before his disease overtook his body. They planned a wonderful trip to Europe.

He was beginning to show signs of Parkinson’s. It was a grim reminder that none of us can take life and health for granted. Our lives may change in a moment and very unexpectedly.

While travelling in Europe, he and his wife decided to sit and rest and watch the world go by.

A man, a complete stranger, walked toward this good man and said to him directly, “I know you are ill. You will be cured.” The man (an Angel from God?) then walked away.

The European trip ended and the man and his wife travelled home. The advancing Parkinson ‘signs’ began to subside. The shuffling stopped.

His doctor was amazed. This good man no longer had Parkinson’s. He was, by all accounts, cured!

God is good and hears your prayers!

During this special time of year and especially as we celebrate the birth of the Holy One, stop and rest your mind and especially your heart. Believe.

Miracles abound all around us. Amen!

Merry blessed Christmas!

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As always, thank you for reading.

Leigh

Lesson # 81- Memorial Day 2023

It was a rainy weekend here in South Carolina. No cookouts were planned and no family visiting. In a way, though, it was very appropriate to have the gray rainy weekend to slow down and think of all those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Recently, I have really been feeling disillusioned with our country. I don’t understand where this country is heading and I sometimes long for the simpler years when everyone supported our President and listened to differing views without splintering a family or friends.

However, the Sunday before Memorial Day, I looked around me and I felt saddened that I had those thoughts. Even shame.

Veterans of all ages and mostly those who were part of the Vietnam war were trying to find names of friends or those who fought alongside them.

Set up in a park in Myrtle Beach was the ‘Travelling Wall’. A replica of the Vietnam wall in Washington DC.

The wall is 3/5 the size of the DC wall but names could clearly be read. Alongside the wall was a list of those vets that succumbed to illnesses they had fought since fighting in Vietnam….Agent Orange complications and PTSD come to mind.

Across the way stands the 9-11 wall listing all those who died on that horrible day. All the names of those Vets who died in the many wars since Vietnam were listed there too. Young men who died at 17, 18 years old were there as a poignant reminder that life can be cut so short. One 15 year old was listed as killed in Vietnam. Fifteen! It was staggering that so many young had died in the Vietnam War. The walls left me with a deep sadness and my memories of those Vets that came home to a country that showed them little respect.

The vets have a strong brotherhood. Those that came home from Vietnam. They seemed to have many of the same horrendous memories experienced during their young years. Some vets had tears, some were quietly staring out with their own thoughts, some were making etchings of name of friends on the wall while others explained to their grandchildren bits and pieces of what they experienced during this war.

I saw Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard and a sprinkling of Army Special Forces. That day all these Vets were brothers. T-shirts that said “proud to have served” were worn while these vets sat with their families who, I’m sure, understood only part of the pain their loved ones endured.

Wreaths were placed all along the Vietnam wall with their banners giving respect to those that died so long ago. A gentleman was wheeled nearby sitting in a wheelchair who proudly wore his Korean War Vet cap. I wondered how old was this man in the Korean War? I assumed he was very very young and he wanted to be amongst other vets that day. I was filled with respect for him.

When we first walked up to the Wall, a Vet asked if he could help us find a name of someone on the Wall. This Vet was just diagnosed the week prior with an Agent Orange disease and my memory went back to living in Arizona and that hospital room where a good friend of ours was fighting for his life with a cancer from Agent Orange. He still had a very young daughter. He passed away much too soon and I couldn’t say a word to this vet knowing what he may face.

I have hesitated to write about a day that has passed but these thoughts have been pressing and I thought that every day should be a Memorial Day while these vets are with us. I pray that all the emotions I felt that day will always be with me. I don’t want to forget the pride I felt of these vets who loved and love their country now no matter the politics of the day. Those that gave their lives when so young loved our country and we should never forget those souls nor the vets I saw on that day.

It was good to hear “God bless America” and it was good to sing that song and good to put my hand on my heart while saying the Pledge of Allegiance. It was good to thank those vets for their service and shake their hands. Sometimes we all just need a reminder.

Thank you for reading.

Leigh

LESSON #80 MUSIC TO MY EARS!!!

Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels.com

All of my life…or as far back through the years as I can remember…I have had ear problems.

Horrible earaches as a child that kept me up at night, ear pain just driving to a higher altitudes and after swimming when my ears just never cleared themselves of water nor equalized the pressure.

Life went on, of course, and I never really thought about it much and just accepted that it was the way it was…until I fell in love with traveling.

I have done quite a lot of traveling in my life and it hasn’t been without pain!

I was on vacation in the Caribbean with my husband and we decided to take the SCUBA diving ‘fast course’ (you know…the one they give you in a pool for 1/2 hr.) and go diving in the turquoise Caribbean water. It was to be great fun!

I couldn’t get deeper than probably 6 feet! My ears wouldn’t equalize the pressure as they should. It was so frustrating. I wasn’t surprised though as I watched the ‘class’ dive deep below me enjoying the wonders of the sea world. Honestly, I felt very sorry for myself. The chaperone on that trip later told me that diving wasn’t my ‘thing’. Really? Ya think?

Plane travel. OH MY! Mainly, my left ear. Try as I might as the pilot was aggressively flying high into the sky, I could not hold my nose and BLOW to equalize the pressure so that horrible pain would STOP. It never did. I happen to have a pretty good tolerance of pain but when flying – NOPE. I tried everything -trust me. Heat, water cup to ease the pain, chewing a pack of gum…anything I could think of.

SURPRISE! Ear tubes. Stupidly, I had only thought they were used for young children for such things as clearing water from their ears!! I NEVER thought I needed them but I learned they weren’t just for kids anymore. Clearly.

My history with tubes began. My first set was installed and shortly after we were on a plane bound for, I don’t know where. It was wonderful! No pain! Why had it taken so long for a doctor to suggest I have tubes put into my ears???

But tubes came and went. Falling out of my ears unexpectedly or disappearing (where I wonder?). This went on for years. A pressure problem again and again. Tubes in, Tubes out. What a ride!

The last doc I saw said “Your left ear is a mess!” No Joke Doc. “Here are some drops that may help heal the hole you have in your eardrum.” Drops to heal a HOLE in my eardrum? Say What?? “Come back in three months.” Oh brother. I have learned to hate those words.

Fast Forward. New doc! YESTERDAY. FINALLY….an operation to help my poor old ears. My eardrum on left ear 30 percent gone. Again, gone where? We will never know. A patch over the eardrum to cover hole. Since I have always had Eustachian tube dysfunction, which adds to the difficulty in pressure equalizing, my Doctor expanded my E tubes with a balloon. Sorry, no medical terms here! Tube in right ear (to support left ear). Two and a half hours and DONE.

LET’S PRAY that my Doc did a GREAT JOB and after 72 (almost 73) years my ears may work properly, if not satisfactorily, when I want to board that plane to exotic places. Forget the scuba diving. Too many shark attacks…

P.S. YES when we get together with friends now, we DO discuss our operations and ailments. It just goes with the territory of aging. That in mind, I would love to hear about your health experiences too. We are in this together after all.

Thanks for reading.

Leigh

LESSON #79 WELCOME GRAY?

It’s begun. The CHANGE…THE BIG CHANGE! I am unsure if I am ready for this but I’m on this journey to the end. I have heard it before. “It’s ONLY hair!” REALLY?

As I have written in the past, I have always been rather happy with my hair. Yes, it could have been thicker or even healthier when very long BUT I have liked the brown color with all that red in it, the red hi-lites all natural. Hair has been important let’s face it.

During COVID many people took the opportunity to go for it! Let the gray come in with all its glory. I know several people who have let the gray flourish and I really like it ON THEM.

My last hairdresser told me to NOT go with the gray because it will make me look older. I am unsure about it all but now that I am in transition I really don’t know if I feel like myself. It’s not about looking older anymore (Come on….that’s NOT true) but it is about feeling older and THAT I do not want to do…(True).

I look around and notice that women around my age have completely made the transition and I think it looks great! But, are they ‘normally’ blondes? Blonde to gray isn’t really a leap. Dark brown to gray is a huge leap much like jumping over the Grand Canyon.

So a new hairdresser talked me into it and lightened my hair to a color I don’t recognize with blonde streaks. Growing in gray hair is supposed to be easier and less noticeable. REALLY? I still have the line of demarcation between my true gray and my colored grayish/blonde/light brown hair. If I see the line others will also so I think that I may as well have my brown hair for a long time until I say the heck with it and stay home for a year and let it fly!

I just can’t decide! It’s not like going on a diet or deciding to exercise every day. It’s a pretty major decision. It is so easy for men. Thanks to you all.

I’ve been told that this process takes one year. ONE YEAR??? Wow!!! Another friend told me to just cut my hair off, pixie style, so it’s fast and painless. I have also been told that gray hair is shiny, healthy and gets thicker!! Is this true?

The jury is still out.

I have the most respect for those who have processed into a gray head of hair. I don’t know if I can join the club.

If I do I will post the before and after photos but it will be a year or so down the line.

I would LOVE to receive before and after photos of YOU and comments and/or suggestions!

Yes, I am getting older by the day and, Yes, I should just accept it and grow old graciously…whatever that means(?)

Is there such a thing…growing old graciously?…or is it just for the famous among us who go under the knife? I ask you…!

Gray or not to Gray…THAT is the question.

We Libras just can’t make decisions!

LESSON #78 – MY LIFE IS A PILLBOX!

Has it really been almost one year since I have written here? October of 2020 I published my last blog.

It was been a horrendous year as we will all agree. Our family (immediate and extended) has lost dear ones this year. We are not alone. The grieving, the deep sadness, the tears and the anxiety that is part of this Covid Virus seems to be continuing.

Obviously, today I feel the need to try, at least, to get back on track. Please forgive me should I offend anyone by writing at all.

Today I found it necessary once again to fill up my weekly pill box.

How quickly each week passes doesn’t it? The weeks fly by and then we once again fill up our weekly pill boxes. I need to switch to a monthly pill box if they even make such a thing.

This chore does make me stop and think about what has been accomplished the preceding week and to remark once again to my husband, “Time flies”!

Admittedly, we all have commented about how much more quickly time passes as the years have passed us by. We can no longer say to ourselves that we have our whole life ahead of us. We no longer have time to go in another direction if this one is wrong for us. I have spent so much time worrying, grieving, being sad, anxiety ridden that I have forgotten that…

I have to hurry up and live and do! I have to work towards accomplishing that dream that has been put on the back burner! I have so many projects that I haven’t even begun. On News Years Eve we normally talk about what we wish to accomplish during the coming year. Whether you may think these thoughts are a bit ‘late’ or maybe too ‘early’, I, for one, must make a mental note and work towards my goals beginning NOW!

So at the end of this week when I once again fill up my weekly pill container, I know I am working towards my goals one small step at a time. Yes, “Life is like a box of Chocolates” but, in my case, life is measured by a plastic pillbox.

God bless us all during these very sad times.

Thank you for reading!

Love, Leigh