(not necessarily in that order)
I didn’t mean for yesterday’s post to be a “cliffhanger” (sorry, Lisa!😂). My intention was simply to explain why I was too distracted to write about anything else!
And it certainly isn’t anything personal. Just that sometimes when you’re gearing up to tackle something (or some things) for what seems like the umpteen-millionth time, it feels good to keep it to yourself for a time…the better to nurture your “new growth.”
I’ve been rather distracted preparing for a new initiative in my life.
It feels a little strange because — even though it’s fully occupying my mind right now — I’m not feeling to share about it.
Sorry!
Last night I was actually in bed and lights out before 11:15. Yes!
Tonight I’m trying to finish up some studying for a special project, it’s already 11:00, and I’m nowhere near getting ready for bed. Sigh.
It’s all directional, it’s all directional, it’s all directional, it’s all directional…
Okay, so maybe I did get a little bit done, but this still feels like the story of my day! 😂
The other night we watched a movie called, “The Two Popes,” starring Jonathan Pryce (as the future Pope Francis) and Anthony Hopkins (as the outgoing Pope Benedict). Though largely fictionalized, it was moving, inspiring, and thought-provoking.
I was brought up as a Protestant; my family attended a Methodist church around the corner from our home in Milpitas. I had a number of Catholic friends throughout the years, but didn’t know much about their religion.
Living for four years in Italy and southern Switzerland, where the majority of people are Catholic, was an eye-opening experience for me. I loved hearing church bells coming from all directions on Sunday mornings. And I loved watching on Palm Sunday as a procession — with priests, altar boys, and congregation — wound its way through the narrow streets of the small village where we were living.
But what touched me the most was being there in 2005 while Pope John Paul II was dying. My father was visiting from California and we took him to Milan to see the magnificent Duomo. As it turned out, instead of walking around and admiring the impressive art and architecture, we sat in the back of the cathedral and joined the hundreds of people who were congregated there to pray for the Pope.
A few days later, for the first time in my life, I heard a bell tolling and knew that John Paul had died. The sadness was palpable throughout the entire region. But soon the bells were ringing again, this time joyously…celebrating the election of Pope Benedict.
I moved from perceiving “the Pope” as an abstract concept to having a felt awareness of his significance, and I found I could relate.
Fast forward to Sacramento Airport in March of 2013. Ramesha and I were waiting to board our flight when we saw on the television in the waiting area that there was a new pope. No one else in the gate area was paying any attention, but we were suddenly glued to the screen. And that was when we were first introduced to Pope Francis.
Again, I’m not Catholic, but in some indefinable way I feel like he’s my Pope. I think this is part of why I found the movie so very touching.
This is one of those times when I remind myself that my blogging commitment is simply to write something every day.
It doesn’t have to be profound or entertaining or funny or inspiring. It just has to be — to exist — for me to have met my goal.
Done!
THE GIFT
Be still, my soul, and steadfast.
Earth and heaven both are still watching
though time is draining from the clock
and your walk, that was confident and quick,
has become slow.
So, be slow if you must, but let
the heart still play its true part.
Love still as once you loved, deeply
and without patience. Let God and the world
know you are grateful.
That the gift has been given.
–Mary Oliver
I know it’s kind of random, but I felt to share this poem tonight. No special reason; I simply love Mary Oliver and this really spoke to me.
Earth and heaven both are still watching…
And I am indeed grateful…
That the gift has been given.
A non-musician friend sent me this joke and I can’t resist sharing it!
Two musicians are walking down the street. One says to the other, “Who was that piccolo I saw you with last night?” The other replies, “That was no piccolo, that was my fife.”
Yeah, I know…but it made me laugh! And speaking of laughter….
For years I kept a Bizarro comic that showed two cowboys; one is holding a double bass and the other has a flute. As I remember it, the caption read: “You’d better wipe that smirk off your bass unless you’re looking for treble.” At the time I was half of a double bass/flute couple, so that lived on our refrigerator for years!
Not familiar with Bizarro? Well, here’s a sample; one final chuckle to wrap up the day (with apologies to banjo players everywhere).
Unusual due to the fact that tonight I cooked something from a recipe (which is an extremely rare occurrence around our house).
Granted, it wasn’t a hard or complicated recipe by any means. But, as so often happens with recipes that I see online, it looked really good, so….
I left the browser tab open to “remind” myself to do something with it. Then (after about two months) I clicked on the “easier” version, which was beginning to seem a little more likely. So now, two tabs remained open for several more weeks.
At that point I was determined to close those tabs, so I finally cut and pasted the easy recipe into my Google Doc titled, “Recipes to make (now or someday).” And after another month I bought the ingredients, which was only about three weeks ago!
And what was this recipe that captured my imagination and wouldn’t let go? Corn pudding, related to “spoonbread,” which I had looked up after seeing it mentioned in a book.
This particular recipe is a 4-ingredient, 4-minute Corn Pudding to which I added broccoli (everything is better with broccoli in my book). Both Ramesha and I give it a thumbs up.
Started making some small changes, then doing my best to stick with them. Bit by bit, new habits are forming and starting to stick. That makes me feel better and increases my commitment and determination.
I’m almost afraid to post this in case I jinx myself! 😂