Polite Paradise

Monday, November 19: A BOOK I AM THANKFUL FOR

Oooh, so many! The thing that makes this even more difficult than it might normally be is that different books would be chosen depending on where I was in my life at the time. But you know, I think I am going to pass over the one(s) I'd select now and go to what might seem to be something odd--but with good reason.

In the early 1970s a book called Life After Life was published. It spoke about people who had died, experienced their own death and then came back like someone who died on the operating table, watched herself (or himself) separate out from her body, saw the resuscitation attempts and also saw her "road" ahead. They all saw bright light and people they'd loved who had died before them, welcoming them. They spoke of having to make a choice to continue on or go back. The profiled people had, for one reason or another, elected to come back.

I always remembered that book. And years later I discovered my father had read the same book and we talked about it. It shaped my belief system so when my father was dying I realized he would be seeing his parents and grandparents and sister and his many friends in AA. My mother will see her best friend, her parents, grandparents and siblings. I don't see death as an end; instead, I rejoice in it as a kind of Universal Reunion. Such a simple book that has had a lifelong impact and provided much comfort.

15: A MYSTERY I AM THANKFUL FOR
Okay, this prompt is just weird. None I can think of.

16: SOMETHING HAPPENING TOMORROW I AM THANKFUL FOR
The 16th was Friday - a Saturday with absolutely no plans whatsoever :-D

17: A SACRED SPACE I AM THANKFUL FOR
My church... whether that's the church I grew up in, the church I visited in New Zealand or the church I'm currently attending. I feel at home in each one, no matter if I'm currently active in that church or not.

18: AN ACT OF KINDNESS I AM THANKFUL FOR
This must be back in 2000 or somewhere around there. I had just moved away from home and funds were a bit low, so though I needed a new pair of boots, I'd decided to wait a few years and just make do with what I had. One day my grandparents came by to visit, and Grandma handed me 500DKK (~US$100). A couple from their Bible study group had quietly given Grandma the money, telling her that they'd felt called to help me out with new winter clothes. Now, I had NOT told Grandma that I was in need of new shoes, and certainly not that I didn't have enough money for them, so this was God's provision. And I am so thankful that my grandparents' friends were open and willing to be used like that

(Obviously I immediately sat down and wrote a thank you letter to them, and the boots lasted for a long, long time, with me thinking of them every year as I put them on.)

19: A BOOK I AM THANKFUL FOR
So many! "Famous 5" for getting me interested in chapter books in the first place, "Baby-Sitters' Club" for helping me learn how to read English, "Anne of Green Gables" for getting me online and into fandoms, "Harry Potter" for getting me further down the rabbit hole and causing me to start a blog, "The Yada Yada Prayer Group" for breathing fresh air into my faith... and those are just first few novels that spring to mind!

20: A TRADITION I AM THANKFUL FOR
Many of my childhood traditions, but as few of those have lasted into my adulthood, I thought I'd pick a new one instead and say Dewey's Readathon We've turned that into a family tradition, spanning generations. I come from a family of bookworms, and we've really taken this and made it OUR thing - I love it, and it's something I look forward to for months in advance every time

Tuesday, November 20: A TRADITION I AM THANKFUL FOR

There are many that cover so many things. The one I am thinking about now is the Christmas stockings. My parents always had stockings for all of us. There would be an orange in each toe along with a handful of various unshelled nuts. The rest of the stocking was filled not with candy but with small, extremely useful doodads such as a tiny flashlight you put on your key ring in case there was no light near the locks. They looked for those types of things all year long and much laughter ensued. But those things were so handy to have.

I have carried the tradition forward with people I know: stockings with things bought mostly at the Dollar Store. These include bandaids, Chapstick, emery boards, soaps, toothbrushes, screws and nails, Scotch tape, safety pins, and so on. I'm careful to pick only nice things that I know will come in handy. But there is always an orange or tangerine and some nuts as well. In fact, this year, I have bought stockings (actually tiny gift bags) for my co-workers. Each will have an orange/tangerine (except for the one person allergic to citrus and who will get a pear), pistachios in the shell, gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins, and a note, thanking them for being my co-workers. I don't especially like all my co-workers but what the heck. Tradition, you know.

STiG, that is wonderful! And a true treasure.


Wednesday, November 21: A TREASURE I AM THANKFUL FOR

My brain. Since childhood I have had the ability to soak up and remember incredible amounts of information and knowledge spanning vast subject areas, and then when needed to pull together pieces of various parts, some from decades ago and others relatively new, to create new solutions or ideas. I am actually amazed and thrilled that my brain works like that. It's so much fun!

A moment from today:

A friend of mine is battling cancer.  I texted her yesterday to see if she was up for visitors because I would be in her area today.  She wasn't.  But I decided to do a drive-by drop off of some frozen soup and some freezer jam.  It is well below freezing here so I was just going to leave it on the front porch and text her to let her know it was there.  But they were expecting a delivery and her Mom was there and opened the garage door when she saw the van in the driveway.  So I got to hand over the goodies and meet her Mom.  I'm hoping the next time I'll be in the area in a couple weeks that she'll be up for visitors.

Saturday, November 24: A PROMISE I AM THANKFUL FOR

What an unusual idea. But I like it. A promise I am thankful for is the one I made to myself at the beginning of last year. Someone on Apartment Therapy used it a couple of years ago and I thought about it and did use it but not consistently until this year when I promised myself I would make it a habit. It is: Don't Put It Down, Put It Away.

Interestingly, I think it has become habit. If I ever fail to put it (anything from clothes to groceries to scissors to dishes) away in its/their proper spot(s) I feel a nagging sensation tugging at me until I get up and do it. This now habit has made things easier for me as I always know where to go to get what it is I need; I'm never left feeling annoyed and wondering, "Where the heck is the ____________?"

A teacher:

My Dad, of course, but I've already talked about him so I'll pick the teacher who was my librarian in elementary school.  She was also my Grade 1 teacher.  She realized very quickly how much I liked to read.  We only got to go to the library once a week and most kids were only allowed to take out one book at a time.  I was allowed to check out as many as I liked.  When one of the other kids complained, she asked him, 'Will you have finished that book you have there by next week?'  At his negative answer, she told him, 'She'll have read all of those at least once and some of them over again.'  There was never another comment.  It eventually got to the point that I was allowed to go to the library mid-week, if I was out of reading material.

A promise:

I would have to say my marriage vows.  I've had some health challenges this year and my husband has been there for me every step of the way.  Things are improving, with the help of medication, but I'll probably be dealing with some of these issues for a long time.  And he'll be here for me the whole way.

A challenge:

I'm with Amara; the challenge of finding the answer to each day's question has really made me look back and count my many blessings, despite the stresses of this year.  I'm doing a job I enjoy, with less than 6 years to go before I can retire without penalty; I'd have to go one more year for full pension but I'm not sure I'm going to do that.  I was extraordinarily lucky early on as a student, getting jobs at least peripherally related to my field and never having to work retail.  I know I wouldn't be good at it - I have no patience for rude people.  I'm fortunate that I'm in a position for my Dad to live with me.  My husband was the one who was pushing for it and convinced me, more than the other way around.  I now have what is close to my dream house, with the property that is allowing me to indulge my hobbies.  All in all, I'm pretty damn lucky!

Monday, November 26: AN AMINAL I AM THANKFUL FOR

I still miss her so much! *wipes tears from eyes* Persephone, my feline soulmate. I found her one day when I was sitting on the front porch and she came around the side from the driveway. Her face was full of foam and I wasn't sure if I wanted to risk touching her, though she seemed friendly. I went in and got some milk and put it down; she took a couple of laps but then stopped and went away. The next evening, same thing. But this time something in me said "chance it." I invited her and closed the screen door which caused her to widen her eyes in panic when it slammed shut. I went to the kitchen and opened a can of people tuna, which was all I had. I then went and sat down on the sofa from where I could see her but give her enough room to feel secure. She ate that entire dish of tuna; there was not a drop of liquid or food to be seen anywhere! Immediately upon finishing, she came over to me, jumped up into my lap and fell asleep.

And she never left. We had fifteen incredible, wonderful years together before a tumor took her. I've lost a lot of pets over the years but that nearly killed me. I promised her on the morning of her death and I would take in other homeless/abused cats and I have kept my word. I love all of them, but I still miss her so very, very much.