Grace In Not Giving

Let us not overstrain our talents, for if we do, we will do nothing with grace. Jean de la Fontaine


Last night, I got an email from my local American Cancer Society chairperson. It opened with an apology for being remiss in staying in touch. That was followed immediately by a desperate call for volunteers for upcoming events. I could mentally see myself ripping my shirt open a la Clark Kent revealing a huge and blazing V :


SuperVolunteer!!!!!

Then, I looked at my pile of work…the looming holidays….the dog with the wistful”I wanna go walking” look on her face, and the husband who pretty well depends on me as social secretary and kick-around- the- valley –hey-let’s-go-to- the-beach-buddy, the grandkids and kids I want to see, the friends who need a friend..... and I for once re-think the urge to be everywhere at once.

I have volunteered for the American Cancer Relay in Yucca Valley in April and I have promised The Girl Friend Factor some help in their great work of providing scholarships to returning students.

Gulp. That’s it?

Yup…that’s it.

Leave room for grace.
Leave room for breathing.
Leave room for others to help also.

Gee, this feels good!

Work is needling me...

My fictions sit silently by my reading chair, occasionally riffling their pages to try and beckon. My knitting needs roll around restlessly wondering when we are going to get on with the task of making scarves and caps and blankets. I think I even saw my quilting needle trying to make tiny stitches without me.

At the moment, I am AWOL from the creative life as I teach two classes and take one myself all online. It does not help that my home office is nested in the middle of all the lovely fabrics and books and yarns that I would love to be playing with.

I promise them all I will be back soon.

Tea and Roses and Dreams Come True

On Saturday, I spent a most wonderful day at the Huntington Library with my husband Bruce, our son Jason and his wonderful wife Georgette.

It was splendid.

We had lunch in the Rose Tea Room

And wandered through the spectacular gardens

But it was the thought behind the afternoon that will always stay with me.

When I decided to go back to school and finish my degrees in late 90's, I was sent on one of those ghastly field trips to the Huntington. The purpose of the trip eludes me now...but the goal I set does not.

When I was there, I found out that there was a Scholar's Library that you must be a ...well, you must be a scholar in order to request admission. As I stood there with my ten little community college credits grasped tightly in my heart, I promised myself that I would one day gain access.

And now I have.

My family remembered.

And I will never forget that they did.

Thank you.