Frisbee and Hide and Seek

My life is full of joy as I reflect on this past weekend.  Joe and I went to Fresno to check in with my brother and his 3 amazing boys: Zachary, Conor and Nathaniel.  They are amazing, talented and intelligent including academic honors in school.  We played frisbee and hide and seek. It was so fun to be in the sun and playing games, of course social distancing in those games.  Their love is like what I imagine God's love to be - free, unconditional, joyful, alive and generous.  Just wanted to remember this past weekend and the joy and love experienced.

Can you feel the earth breathe

As we continue our shelter in place it seems the skies are bluer, the waters are clearer and you can feel the earth breathe.  Mother Earth has cared for us forever and maybe she needed a rest break. Perhaps the wisdom of earth, that always returns through the cracks, even when concrete buries her for a while, emerges alive, green, vibrant and well. The concrete of humanities consumption is no longer being poured out during this time of shelter in place and thus the earth is growing and breathing....listen, see and feel.

Aware of my own well being

Sometimes through my volunteer work for the St. Vincent De Paul Society, I am overwhelmed by the increasing need here in our San Mateo and Burlingame neighborhoods. Today is one such day as I have already received 2-3 calls from the same lady who needs a "$10 spot."  Another lady who called and needs help filling out an online application for a second job she needs to make ends meet. She neither reads nor writes and the only way to get a job is to complete an online application. You must know she also does not know how to use nor own a computer.  Then just when I am up to my eyeballs in my own career, feeling the pressure of the great needs of those around me and worried about the ongoing pandemic and economic crisis, a sudden awareness of my own well being inspires my heart and give me the stamina to do what I can for another day.  I am sure my sudden awareness, was a little tap on the heart from my beloved God who sometime whispers but today God touched my heart.

Wisteria

With patience all things grow.  I bought a wisteria plant via mail order about 4 years ago and each year it grew yet it did not bloom. This year, it is blooming. During this time of shelter in place, the wisteria plants blooms. The blooms of our wisteria a reminder that with patience, life will bloom again and in ways maybe beyond our imagination.  

Long Walk

The sun came out and warmed our neighborhood today. After working hard at the computer, logging information, calling clients and attempting to build relationships, I just needed a walk. I did not go my usual path, I took a road less traveled and went to Coyote Point Recreation area. My mind was working overtime praying for our friend Richard who has been laid off work, and for the many others  we serve through St. Vincent De Paul and for those who have lost loved ones for any reasons including the pandemic. This time in our life while allowing some of us to slow down, I am painfully aware that many more are suffering in so many others ways financially, loneliness, inability to properly bury the dead and fear.  As my long walk continued I saw others on the road, as we passed one another, we waved or acknowledged with a head bob some sort of recognition of the other. This is new, in the past, people may have just walked past one another, now people really look and see each other. As my walk continued I began to be present to the fragrance of flowers, the colors of the blooms and nature thriving all around. My prayers moved to gratitude that some of us put our laptops away, left our phones at home and that I have time to walk. In the long walk, my sorrow turned to gratitude and a pretty yellow butterfly came close. I am grateful for eyes to see, ears to hear, my nose that smells and my legs that took my on my long walk.

Consolation

I am grieving with those who are alone and their loved ones who are not able to be with those they love during their loneliness, suffering and dying. Even beyond those impacted by the corona virus the world is and has over eternity experienced the imprisonment of  loneliness, illness, and poverty. The world's suffering today and always is part of life. This day I awake to another day with birds singing and realize that others are suffering. I ponder how to console those most in need of our mercy. I wonder if this experience of the corona virus during this time will enable us to consider the consolations necessary for all time and in all situations. Oh that my eyes will see the suffering and that my heart will feel the pain. Teach me how to use my mind, body and resources to console you today and always. My heart wide open as I share your suffering.#onbeing
This poem is beautiful

Leanne O'Sullivan

A Poem in Gratitude for Health Care Workers

Missing my cleaning lady

As the weeks go by and we continue to shelter in place, I have to do some basic cleaning I have not done in a while.  Early this morning I cleaned the bathtub.  We usually have Marina's house cleaning service clean our home. This is a luxury that I have always enjoyed since I began my career. My mother suggested that I do it for myself a long time ago.  What I enjoy most about the cleaning service is not only how beautiful and clean our cottage looks, I also have time to do the more decorating activities I love. I love to pick flowers from our yard and place in vases,  and love to rearrange often photos, books and knick knacks ..."paddywacks" as Jim, our friend refers to all my trinkets. Today I discovered that I have forgotten how hard it is to lean over a tub and clean it. Today I pray for and appreciate my cleaning ladies Marina and Candy who provide a service that brings joy to my heart, sparkle to my home and ease to back.  THANK YOU Marina and Candy. I miss you during this time of shelter in place.

The Great Global Blessing of 2020

Pondering the great depression, as named for the time during 1929-1933 when we had a food shortage caused by the dust bowl and a stock market crash, or the Spanish Flu 1918-1920 or the more recent genocide of Rwanda, April 17- July 15, 1994, and the Iraqi war still underway, peaking death tolls in the mid 1990's, I am grateful for this global pandemic.

Time gone by, places far away and not understanding war and genocides, I am grateful that in 2020 our global communities and our local communities are in this together. We are not away from the suffering but part of the suffering. In this experience, for many of us, it is our first time being so close and part of something so grave. We are living with precaution, concern and the need to talk with children and friends sharing in our uncertainty.  For the first time we read and hear about and know people personally who are directly impacted either in service and care or in the death of a loved one.

In this experience, for me, I have becoming more aware of the depth of suffering that many other local and global communities experience daily even now well beyond this pandemic. Those who are impacted from gang violence, civil wars, poverty, and domestic violence.  These are horrible situations that go on every day in our lifetime.  These are humanities sufferings that  that most of us, will for me, I try to avoid contemplating for it hurts too much.   So often I sheltered myself from the world's suffering, poverty, loss and worry. I shelter in place from all that goes on even in 2020.

Not this year.  This year, 2020,  I open my eyes, and ears and hear the cries of the poor and listen to those impacted by loss of jobs and friends.

This year of 2020 we become AWARE as a people together.  We recognize the need for each other and connect more deeply in the real uncertainty of our time.  I personally am grateful that we have a renewed compassion for the lonely, dying alone, the poor, those most in need of food and assistance, the sick,  in need of medical care and ventilators, those on the fronts lines in our grocery store, restaurants, delivery services, healthcare and our government officials operating in crisis.

I truly believe that in the end of this crisis, we will have learned a new way to be: coming to gather as a global community to find a cure, working together at a more measured pace to see what needs to be done for all,  serving one another with kindness and compassion, smiling at each with more presence, appreciating those who work in jobs that provides us the services we need and most of all connecting with our families and loved ones. Praying that our global communities and governments come together to create a new world in 2020 to be known as the year of The Great Global Blessing.

Hiding in plain sight

Inspired by Dynamic Catholic’s Best Lent Ever today, I am reminded of Jesus’ presence everywhere and in everyone. We only need to open our eyes and see, the Holy Spirit alive.  While visiting my brother JP’s boys, we often play with the nerf guns, dividing into two teams and I am usually on Conor’s team. Conor’s approach is to hide in plain sight, walking along as if he is not in the game and not seen, however, he is keenly aware of where his brothers’ Zachary and Nathaniel, our opponents are located.  He strategically has me remain close to him, back to back as we maneuver through the game. Amazingly enough this approach of hiding in plain sight enables us to move through the game and successfully get to our destination.  I believe that God/Holy Spirit/Jesus, this mystery is actually here, hiding in plain site and becomes visible in one another’s smiles, kindness, protection, care, service and love. Please come of out of hiding.#dynamiccatholic, #love, #dailyinspiration

Nurture goodness and abundance

When the worst happens in our world, through grace, humans know how to rise to their best.  We are in that time and we see the sacrifices that people are making to help families, neighbors, the sick, those who show up to work in our grocery stores, food service and restaurants and those who continue to be with and serve the poor.  As Dorothy Day said, "Why can't we live this way all the time?"  We are people of goodness and abundance. Even in this time when we are out of work, or low on money or not certain of our future, we are nurturing goodness and abundance. Many people state that our  world will be different following this pandemic and economic crisis. I do hope the world will be different and that forever we will nurture goodness and abundance. My sister, Sr. Anastasia Lott, Maryknoll Sister,  often says at the end of our visits, "be good."  I now understand know that wisdom and I thank you Sr. Anastasia for teaching me the wisdom to "be good."#Maryknollsisters, #love