Chapel of Hope Stories

Dear Reader:

It was 2006 when I first heard the word “Possibilitarian.” It changed my life. A young, whimsical artist, by the name of Kelly Rae Roberts, was starting the movement based on a quote from Dr. Norman Vincent Peale that she just read.

A lot of her whimsical artworks were found in one gift store I adored going in…I was at a crossroads…ready to retire and for the first time in my life…I was looking for more meaning in it. Where do I fit in now…after raising three children, ending an educational career that spanned over three decades….what now does life have in store for me? I was searching…

I didn’t know (then) but I was praying for a sign…a way to re-invent myself at this stage in my life. I was scared but I was also excited…I was freer now than I had ever been to pursue new personal interests. (It would take awhile but the creation of the blog and garden…were simply lying in wait for me to recognize them as my new passions in my life.)

*In 2006…little did I know that in just two years…my life and freedoms would be challenged by a breast cancer that I decided to call “little c.” Suddenly I was fighting, not just for a new life, but for life itself.

And then one day I came across an article by Kelly Rae Roberts asking me to take a ‘test’ to see if I could possibly be…a possibilitarian.

Kelly wrote: “I first saw the word ‘possibilitarian’ in a quote by Dr. Norman Peale: “Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities—always see them, for they’re always there.”

Becoming a “Possibilitarian” changed my life…and suddenly I wanted to surround myself with others, who too, were ready to fight the odds… keeping hope alive until our hearts could be filled with the beauty of life again.

The movement coincided with a moment in my life when I desperately needed something bigger than me to show me the way…the “Possibilitiarian” movement accomplished just this!

I recently just read some alarming statistics concerning depression and loss of hope, among many disillusioned young people, for a better tomorrow in our country…a country where once optimism reigned supreme over negativity and feels of hopelessness.

One psychologist says the rise of depression in our young people has been caused by the ‘perfect storm’- a pandemic that brought normal lives to a screeching halt, while children and young people saw their important benchmarks disappear….graduations, end of the year dances and parties, loss of athletic sports and scholarships due to Covid19….virtual learning at home over experiencing new college life.

Add in loss of jobs and opportunities to new graduates that had been there, just waiting for them, mere months before…family stress over financial loss, … dreams dashed.

Political negativity, a divided country, and disillusionment run rampart….

To so many people…it does feel like the world has been turned upside down. Yet…haven’t we seen entrepreneurs creating new jobs needed for this  new climate? With acceptance of life as it is now… no longer pining for the past….new possibilities are still alive.

When we compare our discomforts with our earlier relatives who lived through starvation, world wars, total destruction of their towns and homes…we realize we need to ‘get with the program.‘ Quit worrying about when it will end…and make the best of the moment so we, too, have an opportunity to build rich memories… even under a new type of duress.

So until tomorrow…”When nothing is sure, everything is possible.”

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Jeff was able to cut the grass yesterday morning…we were afraid it would be too soggy…but apparently my yard really needed all the rain we have had lately…drank it right up. Love seeing the driveways swept and clean.

*I have been waiting for days for my first moon flower bud to open…it is something so thrilling seeing the first moon flower bud bloom…one bud looks like it is about the pop…surely it will bloom in time to take a photo for today’s blog. But then we will just have to wait and see…

Around mid-afternoon yesterday I could see the stem with the bud quivering…a sure sign something is about to happen…it did expand a little but then nothing.

*The second stage arrived…when a part of the bud started unfurling…I waited until early evening around 6…but the top structure of the bud still flopped over…the full bloom was just not there…even with a beautiful sunset starting to sink in the west.

Darkness descended ….around 8:30 I went out….surely the real moon was calling to the moon flower…encouraging it to complete unfurling to display itself in all its beauty. Still the bloom had not completely opened wide in all its glory. It looked exactly as it had at six.

This morning…twelve hours after first opening…just before six this morning…I scurried out to take its photo…and this is what I found…it had closed back up.

“He who hesitates”….this bloom just never got on track….but there is hope right behind it…another bud growing…another chance at life.

Today, August 26, is National Dog Day! Give your dog a hug!

“If you are lucky a dog will come into your life, steal your heart and change everything!”

Dear Reader:

I was recently catching up on (artist) Kelly Rae Roberts’ latest post. She was talking about how important it is to take time to write down our personal beliefs. She first wrote a manifesto in 2012 when she found this God Wink…a heart-shaped rock.

A manifesto is normally defined as a a public declaration of intentions, opinions, objectives, or motives. We are now hearing from both political parties (during their conventions) concerning what their manifesto is all about.

But shouldn’t it be just as important, in fact more important, to first start with our own personal manifesto and then match our beliefs and opinions to the political party whose plans for the future come closest to matching our own set of values and morals…not vice-versa?

This is what Kelly wrote in 2012 which she, then, shared with her readers:

I believe:

That telling the truth about your beautifully messy and magnificently complicated life is a transformative gift. For yourself. And for anyone who’s listening.

That creativity reveals, saves, and inspires.

That beauty is mandatory.

That when all else fails, love always wins. A family that is fully connected shows parental guidance at its best with sacrifice for each other and others outside the unit paramount to caring for our fellow man.

That nothing is wasted, and that everything shapes us.

That kindness changes everything. Like in a break-your-heart joyful way.

That what we’re doing matters, and that we are 100% enough (as is).

That when we play big, we give others permission to do the same.

That beginnings, middles, and endings all hold a sacred place in our heart and  lives. 

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*Kelly recently shared a few new thoughts while living through this Covid19 quarantine. It is changing the way she sees and reacts to the world now. Being forced to slow down has been good for their family…mentally, emotionally, and physically. There are some attributes their family wants to keep from the quarantine and slowing down to enjoy the special moments of life is one.

Hello from here where quarantine life is settling in. There have been some hard days, some good days. I’ve been reminding myself that it all matters. There is beauty in the mess, and there is also just mess in the mess, too. It’s all ok.  …

I have taken time to really look at my nine-year-old son these days and see what he needs and what his expectations from us should be…so I wrote this Child Manifesto to him from us….John and me. 

So until tomorrow….Let’s take the gift of time we now have to re-evaluate our lives and our loved ones in it…What can we do differently to make larger differences in our lives, as well as, their lives?

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*I had my monthly oncology visit yesterday morning and it went very well…even my white cell count was up just a little. Dr. Jeter now has a full time medical oncology nurse working along side her…since she is carrying quite a load.

We had a great conversation and it felt like we all had known each other before the appointment… by the time I left. Then I had another surprise…Jake’s and my birthday is Sept 24…it was exactly a month from yesterday.

I was going to make sure I didn’t have an appointment on my birthday…but that wasn’t even an issue…I got my birthday month off…and don’t have my next visit until October. What a great birthday gift….time!

Peeks Around Family…

Tommy and Kaitlyn are staying now with Kaitlyn’s parents until their home is ready to occupy…the part-time rental they were living in was needed by some of the landlord’s family. So Kaitlyn’s nice family took them in…Kaitlyn and Tommy are enjoying Susan’s cooking and the area for riding bikes with their little dogs is great…Pip and Atticus.

Pip is now well-known for his light blue bow-tie…I can hardly wait for the calendar to come out with our precious Pip as a calendar month dog!

***Mollie sent me this picture the teacher sent…and she noticed that Eloise is a foot taller than the other children her age (on the left in gray t-shirt)…I reassured her she was just planning on being a super-model! 🙂

Dear Reader:

It is Sunday afternoon…and I have just returned home from Mt. Pleasant. It has been a crazy weekend…but also a very memorable one…tiring but worth every ounce of strength to pull it off. Eva Cate and Rutledge were invited for a Boo Boo Sleepover Friday night.

I loved it when both families came to Summerville to drop off the children…it has been a long time since the family has been together under my roof…the house suddenly was bustling and bursting with excitement…screams, yells, and laughter. It was long overdue!

*(Though, obviously, both Lachlan and Jake were not happy about being left out….I told them we would plan some type of get-together for both of them…but Boo Boo would have to start saving all her energy to do so…right now!  🙂

*(One check-off the moms are holding over their heads is… when they don’t need to wear pull-ups at night- they will be “big  enough” to stay at Boo Boo’s. Good hold-out girls!

Eva Cate is still having some homesickness issues so that is why I thought if she and Rutledge came together…it would help that situation and it did….we made it through the night… with no issue!

Before the families left…Jake made a wish for him to get to come spend the night at Boo Boo’s… throwing a penny in the fountain…and the Dingles (minus Eloise-at pre-school) got their picture made in front of the prayer tree with Poogie’s picture and their drawings in tact.

Eva Cate had one little lip quiver as Mandy and Jake left Friday afternoon…but then she and Rutledge were ready to take on the town. And that is what we did…first visiting the Public Works Community Art Center…they both had heard of Francis Marion- The “Swamp Fox.” Then we went to People, Places, and Quilts to see all the amazing works from quilts…including turtles.

From there we crossed Richardson and went to the Train Store…Rutledge loves that place and the owner is always so nice…turning on his trains with the steam coming out…a glance back in history. From there the children found the largest Sweet Tea Container in America!

It was on to Hutchinson Park where the children played and I called Groucho’s to order our supper….we walked over to get it and then walked all the way back to our car…Boo Boo was hot and very tired…the kids were running circles around me…of course! 🙂

After supper it was climbing trees time…I saw Eva Cate and snapped a photo…when I asked where her cousin was…Rutledge yelled down from the top of the tree while I froze in horror and disbelief….”Get down! ” I do believe he is part monkey.

Friday night Eva Cate had Rutledge dancing with her and working out dance movements to the songs they sang…very dramatic. I gotta give it to Rutledge…he really hung in there.

For our bedtime story I read  a few chapters from the precious little book Eva Cate and I have been reading this summer “Wish Upon a Sleepover“…it is all about a sleepover that goes terribly wrong initially…with the wrong children getting an invitation instead of the ones the main character had planned to ask. It is all about kindness, accepting others for their differences, and not judging people before getting to know them.

It opened up some honest discussion on the children’s experiences with classmates and friends, good and bad, and about showing respect to both parents and peers.

It ended up with all three of us in the same bed…I felt like I was in a scene from The Three Stooges…no one slept well…and there were lots and lots of trips to the bathroom…let’s just say the night was a blur.

I surprised the children with new t-shirts Saturday morning that I had ordered for them on-line…they loved them and we were off and running again!

The children help ice the cinnamon rolls and we decided to spend the day at the parks….the first one between Simmons Ave and Parkwood….feeding the turtles off the bridge…and letting them play in the park…since they were the only ones there.

Then onto Laurel Street Park….

By the time we ate lunch a slow drizzle had started…we began the process of packing up which made them sad so I  decided to end our sleep-over with a whirl around Tastee-Freeze so that the children could enjoy their milk shakes on the trip back to Mt. Pleasant.

Eloise was asleep and Walsh was holding down the fort when we pulled into Rutledge’s house…Rutledge had found several memories from Appalachian State with photos of his dad…and his graduating cap. He could hardly wait to give it to him.

Mandy has a birthday coming up…very soon…so I told her since I would be dropping off Eva Cate anyway…I would be glad to stay and keep the children while they got a break and some supper out…so I spent the night there Saturday night and returned home yesterday.

I admit that I look forward to some “down” time this week…but aren’t we so glad to still have “up” times in our lives…where we are surrounded with love?

So until tomorrow….

These days as a grandmother…I  have to “pace” myself but I never want to ever stop “growing” and learning new things through the eyes of my grandchildren.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

‘High / Low” blooms…on “Little Big Red”! Three blooms hanging near the floor while three more blooming petals bloom skyward! 🙂

Dear Reader:

When we take time to reflect back on our lives…we come to the realization that we were able to function and live the life we were destined to live…because of the “anchors” in our  lives.

For most of growing up these “anchors” started out as our mothers or fathers…particularly when the parent was a single parent, who sacrificed  much so that we could have a better life. Later these “anchors” became special teachers, coaches, or counselors who could guide our future, based on our talents, when it was still a fuzzy dream for us.

Of all the anchors in my life…the most important one (from the perspective of  a single parent with three children) was my mother-in-law, Dee Dee.

Every time I hear this line of scripture my thoughts turn to her.

James 5:11 (ESV)
11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast… and did Dee Dee ever remain steadfast! The family anchor!

Dee Dee helped me raise my children…hands down and was always there for me…encouraging me to travel when I received scholarships to tour, study, or teach abroad. “I’ve got it…you can’t not go!”

Dee Dee always wanted to travel and after Poppy’s retirement they both  were able to do just that…for which the whole family was so thankful…after all she had been our anchor and sacrificed daily for all of us…after raising her own six children, she kept grandchildren, friends’ children so they could work or travel and accomplish their dreams.

The “anchors” in our lives…the ‘stay home/go to‘  people usually never fully realize their utmost importance to the rest of the family or friends during their lifetime.

And it isn’t until these “anchors” are gone that we, too, fully realize their importance in our own lives…they ‘centered’ our lives by loving us unconditionally and cementing stability in our busyness…

*I don’t know if Mandy was trying to kiss her boyfriend at the first Easter Egg Hunt or punch him…but Dee Dee was right there to intervene either way! 🙂

I love the photo (below) because normally Dee Dee was always remembered more for opening and shutting her refrigerator….(she always had something to eat in there for anybody who just dropped by….amazing) than sitting behind William “Refrigerator” Perry.

However… this time Dee Dee didn’t have to cook and she seems quite amused (at the Charleston Clemson Athletic Dinner) watching William “Refrigerator” or simply “Fridge” Perry chowing down on his dinner.

So until tomorrow…Let us pause from our busy lives and thank the “anchors” in our lives for centering us… Thank the ones who remained ‘steadfast, loyal, and true so we could live our lives through and through.’

And then let’s never forget the one “Anchor” who waits for us….patiently and lovingly…saying “Fear not tomorrow…I am already there.”

Dear Reader:

Aren’t these sun’s rays beautiful….if I could be Alice in Wonderland for one day…I would love to slide down a sun’s rays deep into the rabbit hole and land on layers and layers of these brightly colored clouds sparkling in the rays of the sun.

I would lay on the soft, puffy matrix of colors and stare up into the stars shining brightly down upon me…realizing that I am one with the universe…the stars and I share the dust of God’s Creation.

If you have ever read biographies of America’s first astronauts to the moon…they appear to share the same epiphany or realization of man’s connection to the stars and planets. They felt that they were seeing a part of themselves within the ancient stars…a part of themselves that they had never seen before…and would be ready to return to stardust when their time here on earth was over.

I enjoy Sue Monk Kidd’s novels…but I especially loved this anecdote she shared one time on a talk show…she had everyone in the audience laughing with her precious child’s understanding of the importance of shining like the stars in our lives.

Popular author, Sue Monk Kidd, once told this personal anecdote about a memorable Christmas pageant in her family. Her daughter was quite small and terribly excited about trying out for the Christmas Pageant. When she came running to the car after try-outs…she was holding a five pointed cardboard box with gold tinsel.

Her face was beaming with happiness…she was so happy she could barely speak. When the author asked her daughter what role she got she proudly proclaimed “The Star!”

“Oh…said her mother…hum…does the star have a speaking line?” Her daughter looked at her in disbelief and shook her head. “Of course not…stars can’t talk, silly mommy!”

“Then what do you do?”

“Oh mommy…her daughter clapped her hands in excited anticipation….“I get to stand there and SHINE”!

When you think about it…isn’t that what God wants of us…to simply“stand and shine.” To let our inner spirit shine on others as a beloved child of God…to reveal the star in us?

So until tomorrow….

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Don’t you love the beautiful concept behind this simple “highs and lows” band?

G = God
> = Is Greater
Than the
^ = Highs
v = Lows

“Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 8:39

Dear Reader:

It is interesting sometimes to go into one’s private administrative section of WordPress concerning your individual blog post…to get information on which posts from the past are still drawing readers.

When I looked at the list yesterday one popped up that I didn’t remember so I looked it up, re-read it, and realize since it had been written over four years ago…that the timing was right to look at this observation again.

It was an excerpt, I discovered from a young writer. The topic centered around Proverbs 4:25. “Above all else, guard your heart. For everything you do flows from it.”

In our country we take for granted daily greetings we give each other. We, Americans, are used to “How are you today?” as we briskly pass a stranger or casual acquaintance and are slightly irritated if they respond with more words than “Fine, thank you.”

In Persian or Arabic (English translation) it sounds more like: “How is your haal”? What is this haal that you inquire about? It is the transient state of one’s heart. In reality, the question is, “How is your heart doing at this very moment, at this breath?” When I ask, “How are you?” that is really what I want to know.

I am not asking how many items are on your to-do list, nor asking how many items are in your inbox. I want to know how your heart is doing, at this very moment. Tell me. Tell me your heart is joyous, tell me your heart is aching, tell me your heart is sad, tell me your heart craves a human touch. Examine your own heart, explore your soul, and then tell me something about your heart and your soul.

Tell me you remember you are still a human being, not just a human doing. Tell me you’re more than just a machine, checking off items from your to-do list. Have that conversation, that glance, that touch. Be a healing conversation, one filled with grace and presence.

*The young author concludes this differences in cultural greetings with these final thoughts:

I don’t have any magical solutions. All I know is that we are losing the ability to live a truly human life.

W. B. Yeats once wrote, “It takes more courage to examine the dark corners of your own soul than it does for a soldier to fight on a battlefield.”

How exactly are we supposed to examine the dark corners of our soul when we are so busy? How are we supposed to live the examined life?

I want us to have a kind of existence where we can pause, look each other in the eye […] and inquire together: Here is how my heart is doing. […]

How is the state of your heart today?

Resource: (How Is Your Heart Doing? by Omid Safi)

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So until tomorrow…“How are our hearts doing today?” Take time to find out. 

*My heart and stomach are doing great…Gin-g just dropped off some lasagna and bread….Bless you ….so nice to eat other’s cookin’!

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Look at my Mr. Lincoln rose…It’s got lots of heart from yesterday to today…but then so did our 16th President. 🙂

*Anne’s first moon flower bloomed…hopefully mine won’t be too far behind…the blooms are so beautiful…it just takes one’s breath away.

Dear Reader:

The other day I was crossing my front porch from the B&B side to my side and I noticed how dark it had gotten with thunder rolling off in the distance. For the low country…this is a pretty typical summer afternoon.

Suddenly…a flash of lightning streaked across the sky as the thunder rumbled so loudly a plate I was holding with some silverware on it…literally rattled and a fork fell off.

As I went to pick it up I could feel the hair on my arms starting to stand up…the strangest feeling ever…the energy from this storm was palpable. It was also terrifying…I rapidly ran back in my side.

I realized that I had just experienced a miniscule– even  nanoscopic-sample of the power and energy of our universe! Mind-boggling!

Still, no matter how amazing the vastness of the universe (and the mysterious energy pulsating throughout it) is that keeps our world in constant motion, isn’t it  the human energy that promotes our well-being ….similar to getting a booster shot of vitamins.

We all have experienced people with such positive energy that we can feel it if the person simply walks into a room, or hear it through a powerful speech that raises our own energy level or an action that makes us want to do something positive in the world too. Passing energy to others is a remarkable gift.

Brene Brown talks about connection and energy in this quote.

“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from relationships with others.”

There is no better gift than talking to someone who elevates our energy of  self-worth and contentment so profoundly…that they find themselves in a better place than before….

Today, sadly, we have allowed politics to take precedence over close human relationships…and the exchange has been so costly to one and all ….creating a “Dis-United” States.

Brene believes it all comes down to feeling secure about ourselves and who we are so that we don’t become easy prey for someone else’s ideology while losing ours in the bargain.

“True belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to yourself so deeply that you can share your most authentic self with the world and find sacredness in both being a part of something and standing alone in the wilderness. True belonging does not require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.”

So until tomorrow…Let’s accept ourselves for who we are, imperfections and all, no longer seeing these as weaknesses but vulnerabilities that connect us to the rest of humanity.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

I have missed getting out in the garden lately…and of course, nothing stops growing or blooming just because I am not there…lots of fun surprises. Come on…walk with me.

Butterflies love love love my pintas as you can attest from below. “Mr. Lincoln” my most aromatic rose of any of my other roses, assures me I haven’t lost my total sense of smell.

Food is being supplied by my stokesia going to seed and my butterfly bush’s fuzz are seeds that will disperse with the wind. (Thanks for gardening tips Doodle- my master go-to gardener!)

Look at this strange mushroom sprouting up from all our recent thunderstorms…it looks like a chocolate donut with sprinkles! 🙂

Look at this breath-taking entrance into Vickie’s backyard paradise garden…it speaks of the wonders to come.

Yesterday Mandy had a “Mom Out With Jake Morning“- he loves capturing the little fiddler crabs but also loves examining the big blue crabs too. They went to the park ‘under the bridge’ and successfully found lots and lots of crabs. One happy little boy!

Dear Reader:

Don’t we all remember those butterflies in our stomachs when it came our turn to bat…as a child or youth? As much time as we spent dreaming about making that home run in the ninth ending with the bases loaded to win the game…all those dreams would evaporate quickly in the reality of the moment when the pitcher stared us down with nods and smug looks at the catcher.

In elementary school I was a pretty good batter…not great…but good enough so the other kids on the team didn’t moan and groan or “boo” 🙂 when it was my turn to bat. I only remember maybe two times when I actually hit a home run; more times striking out…but all the failures dissipated with that one beautiful “crack” sound as the bat hit the ball firmly and it went sailing  over the fence or in the farthest section of the outfield.

One good hit could remove all the earlier strike-outs from my memory.

It was while I was watching Jake play one of his last games a few weeks ago that those memories of playing baseball at school and in the neighborhood came rolling back. And then suddenly I had an epiphany!

The same base where we stand completely exposed to a crowd of families, friends, and strangers….praying we can hit the ball and not let anyone down…the coach or team players or parents…is the same base that will be “home” to us…the place where success and accomplishment lies.

Isn’t this true of life? It is in the places and events of our lives that challenge us the most…that also can provide the same site where we overcome our personal challenges and slide into achievement and victory.

Think about it…The Bible is full of examples of people who embraced leadership, even when it wasn’t popular and even when they didn’t always feel adequate. David slew Goliath; Moses confronted Pharaoh in Egypt; Noah built an ark;  Daniel faced the lions’ den; and Jesus paid the ultimate price. God never equips us with a burden or a vision, without ever providing the means to carry it through to the end.

So when it comes our turn to step up to bat…we know we are not alone while we wait on the challenge, the ball, to be thrown our way.

I remember reading one time that in the history of baseball the greatest hitters of this sport also had the most strike-outs. In other words…they were never going to just stand there completely immobile and pray the pitcher threw four “balls” so they could get a ‘walk” to first. …NO…if they struck out …they were going down swinging.

When it comes to doing our part to bring an end to the coronavirus…doesn’t it stop with each of us doing what medical professionals and research recommendations say….Remember our personal freedoms only go as far as not infringing on the whole and taking others freedoms away by our personal choices. In other words…we all need to step up to plate and do what is necessary to get rid of this virus once and for all. This game has been going on way too long….

No one should want to be the spoiled kid who announces that he is taking his bat home (assuring that nobody else can play since it is the only bat) and not playing the game anymore. Nobody likes a pouter and /or a quitter. 🙂

So until tomorrow…Let us all remember in our personal leadership roles to take the role of “servant.”

The Bible says in Matthew 23:11 (NIV): “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.”

We must learn to stop trying to do things that we consider to be great in our own eyes, or that we believe will get us the approval of others, and start focusing on serving the people we claim to lead or the communities we claim to serve. We must lead in a way that we are focused on doing a whole lot of small things in a great way, without worrying about whether or not we will get the credit for it. Effective leadership is “servant leadership.”

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Well….Eloise isn’t concerned about “stepping up to the plate” quite yet…she is more interested in tutu’s, ballet, and tap 🙂

I can’t end a blog post about baseball without ending it with my  favorite movie of 1984 (etc.) The Natural...with Robert Redford.

Okay, okay…I admit a lot of critics didn’t care for it…they said it was more about Redford than baseball…but then critics aren’t middle-aged starry-eyed female fans who will watch Redford play any sport or role he wishes…and the more he is in the scenes…the happier we gals are. “Oh Bobby…if our paths had just crossed”…maybe in a parallel life, huh? 🙂

***Sometimes… don’t you just feel like throwing a prayer up into the universe to ask for compassion and blessings for everyone on this day, August 19, who is facing health issues, uncertainty about the future, sadness or loss to hear our voices in prayer…no matter where you are or who you are…all God’s children deserve each and everyone of our gifts of prayer each day of our lives.

Dear Reader:

From the moment I arrived last Thursday to be with the grandchildren… (the morning Poogie passed away)…the children were already talking about the Rainbow Bridge. When I asked Mollie about it…she said it was a metaphor for pets who had passed…a way to tell children that their beloved pet had to cross the Rainbow Bridge in order to be whole again.

When I researched the origin of it…there were several different versions but basically it all came down to creating a beautiful picture in children’s minds of this colorful bridge of many rainbow hues that their pet had to cross so he/she could be just like her old self again…able to run and play.

***The “Rainbow Bridge” refers to an other-worldly place consisting of a sunny, green meadow and multi-colored, prismatic bridge the pet eventually crosses that leads it to heaven.

The term is believed to have originated in several works of poetry from the 1980s and 1990s that were meant to help relieve deceased pet owners of the pain of their loss.

According to poems, upon death, the pet finds itself in a lush, green meadow filled with sunshine. The pet’s health is fully restored and it can run and play as it did in its prime with unlimited food and water.

There, the pet waits until its human companion dies and is reunited with them in the meadow. Together, they cross the Rainbow Bridge to heaven.

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My talented, imaginative and quick-witted friend, Dee Lesko, texted me a story Sunday afternoon (that I forwarded on to Walsh and Mollie) that would be a gift to me, Walsh and Mollie, and especially the children….a story about Poogie’s new life…and how she is being welcomed by their own dogs who crossed the Rainbow Bridge earlier.

Mollie texted me yesterday that the kids were so excited to hear about Poogie’s new adventures in pet heaven for their bedtime story Sunday evening. What a healing gift of love…the children all went to bed excited and dreaming about Poogie’s new capers and romps!

Here is an excerpt from her amazing story:

So until tomorrow…What a wonderful gift you have given the family Dee…it will be copied and put with Poogie’s memorabilia so the children will always have the story in their hearts. And your gift in honor of Poogie to less fortunate dogs is just more icing on the cake. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

It really was my favorite day…because so many favorite people stopped by to visit. I was able to add Poogie’s photo to the Prayer Tree…I ate a mountain tomato for lunch…and just let the juice run down me (Honey brought)-Susan and Ady visited and looked at my neighbor’s tin roof…Susan would love to have one over her deck…nothing sounds better during a thunderstorm…and we are definitely getting them more these days.

Isn’t Honey’s pocketbook adorable…a watering can? 🙂 It was so fun just to be around my friend again…the friend who opened my eyes to a new world in 2010…who helped me cross my Rainbow Bridge here, while still on earth, to a different life of listening, writing and sharing….Chapel of Hope Stories! Unforgettable gift from Honey in every way!

Dear Reader:

I think so many of us are deterred from taking on new challenges and situations because we are afraid of failure. We don’t realize that we don’t have to conquer the world or set it right side up again…we just need to plant a flower or pet a dog or hug a child. We just need to show love in all the small places and opportunities in life.

Don’t we sometimes hesitate or talk ourselves out of doing something nice for someone because we are unsure of their reaction…is it too little or not enough? Will we look foolish?

Yet…if we are on the receiving end, isn’t it the smallest of gestures that makes all the difference to us? While I was at Walsh and Mollie’s last Thursday working with the grandchildren writing down their thoughts about Poogie to put with their drawings…I felt this new bond developing while going through the grieving process together.

Recently I mailed the children some superhero and child-like decorated animal masks along with a note card containing three five dollar bills. I like to send the children money occasionally to put in their piggy banks to save towards something they really want or simply use as “funny money” to cheer them up.

While I was still working with the younger children on their pictures to Poogie last week… Rutledge disappeared. When he returned…he was holding two one-dollar bills. He handed them to me and said simply”I want you to have these Boo Boo.”

At first I was so surprised I found myself stuttering….”Oh Rutledge I can’t take your money” and then I saw his face grow puzzled and drop. (I quickly realized that he was simply returning some “funny money” back to me to cheer me up!)

It was then I did feel like crying…such a sweet gesture…simply imitating what I had done earlier.

“Sometimes Rutledge we don’t need money to cheer each other up…especially when we can all be together. I try to send you fun things, including “funny money” since I haven’t been able to spend as much time with all of y’all due to the Coronavirus.  

Don’t we all feel better just laughing and talking about Poogie? Poogie never needed any money did she? All she wanted was love….and that you gave her. 

“And guess what…that is all I need too!”

 (And yes….true confession…I physically hugged my Rutledge…and it felt so good. (A grandmother’s perogative! ) 🙂

So many acts of love and kindness have happened since Poogie’s demise that it is mind-boggling. Walsh and Mollie have received flowers ( including a beautiful orchid from Marcia, Mollie’s mom) the little stuffed “Poogies” to help the children sleep, a prayer tree’s first prayer on it, neighbors volunteering to help with the children, meals, cards, calls, old friendships renewed and family meetings open to discussion about the children’s on-going feelings and questions.

While Poogie was alive…she knew she didn’t need to be a ‘super-hero’ dog to change the world…she just had to be there to protect the family she loved and that she did…down to guarding the crib for each newborn sibling. She participated in every game the children played and volunteered her services pulling wagons and acting as lifeguard to the little swimmers.

So until tomorrow….Let’s learn from Poogie…it is the small acts of kindness that people remember best…not the material things but simply the “being there” presence that is never forgotten.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Speaking of acts of kindness ….Anne texted me and asked if it suited yesterday to pick up lunch and come over Sunday ..she had the frame ready to put on my 10th anniversary blog post artwork she painted. (We both admitted one gets tired of eating alone…and it is just so nice to share a  conversation with someone!) Acts upon acts of kindness…and for me…not little at all…big…very big! 🙂

Look what we discovered while touring the garden…a bud on one moon flower…the first one should be blooming in the next few days.

*After Anne went home she discovered buds on her moon flowers too…”Tis’ the season!”