(not necessarily in that order)
We were only gone a few days, but it somehow seems like it was a long time and far, far away. Maybe because LA is such a different environment, plus the intensity of interacting with so many people.
Whatever the reason, it feels really good to be home.
We spent the afternoon driving around Milpitas…revisiting old haunts and simply remembering.
The top photo is 1853 Conway Street, our family home starting from when I was five. Fifty years ago it was only one story, there was no brick fence, and the shade tree was much, much smaller.
Our driveway pointed straight up Greathouse Drive (photo below), so this was my view every time I walked out of the house. It was nice to see that it hadn’t changed hardly at all.
Unless I’ve had a definite appointment, this past week has seen me mostly holing up at home.
I’ve made it a point to get up early enough to walk every morning while temperatures are still fairly cool. But other than that I’ve alternated between catching up on paperwork and emails with reading my book and sweating. 😳
In fact, I’ve been feeling slightly antisocial and I really do think the heat is mostly to blame.
But the good news is we’re home and well on our way to adjusting to the new time zone.
I think I’ll be pretty normal by tomorrow.
I actually started crying when I first read this on Facebook. I immediately shared it on my feed but felt to say more about it here.
What first touched my heart was imagining how the world would be if all teachers had this understanding and routinely offered this kind of support to the children in their care.
But then I found myself thinking, what about our workplaces? What about our homes?
If your family is experiencing difficulties at home, I would like to provide additional support at work. I understand that you are not always able to share details and that’s okay. If your wife/husband/adult child is coming to work after a difficult night, morning or weekend, please text me “Handle with Care”. Nothing else will be said or asked. This will let me know that your wife/husband/adult child may need extra time, patience, or help during the day.
OR…
If my wife/husband/adult child is experiencing difficulties at work, I would like to provide additional support at home. I understand that you are not always able to share details and that’s okay. If my wife/husband/adult child is coming home after a difficult day, please text me “Handle with Care”. Nothing else will be said or asked. This will let me know that my wife/husband/adult child may need extra time, patience, or help during the night or over the weekend.
OR EVEN…what about ourselves?
If I am experiencing difficulties at work or at school or at home, I would like to provide myself additional support within. I understand that I may not always be able to deal with details and that’s okay. If I’m trying to cope after a difficult day, night, or weekend, please God, help me remember to “Handle with Care”. Nothing else need be said or asked. This will remind me that I may need extra time, patience, or help.
I know there are parts of California with way more snow than this; nevertheless, it’s a ton of snow for Ananda Village. I’m finding it somewhat disorienting to be away from home during such a major weather event.
With still more snow in the forecast, it’s also a bit of a challenge to stay focused in the present and enjoy my retreat without worrying about whether I’ll be able to get home when the time comes.
I can’t remember the last time we were in the country for the month of December and didn’t organize, rehearse, and participate in the music for the Christmas Eve pageant (well, other than the last couple of years when it was all online!).
This year it was initially a matter of choosing not to overdo things (considering I’m just a few months post-transplant), but then it also became about minimizing my exposure to viruses (since my immune system is still “immature”, as the doctor put it).
The end result is that Ramesha and I watched the beautiful Christmas Eve program from home via the live broadcast, then ate a delicious fondue dinner, opened our presents (since we’ll be at church first thing tomorrow morning), and simply enjoyed hanging out together.
A perfect Christmas Eve.
What a blessing to be able to stay home — warm and cozy — in such stormy weather.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m extremely grateful for days of heavy rain (though the intense winds were less appreciated).
It’s just that I’m equally grateful not to have had to get in the car and go anywhere in the midst of it all!
Today was spent catching up at home.
Weeding and watering the garden. Tending the roses. Cleaning out the refrigerator. Doing laundry. Putting together a plant stand for the living room.
You get the idea.
All in all it was quite the productive Saturday.
We had dear friends over for dinner tonight.
An actual sit down and eat together meal, inside our house, for the first time since the pandemic began.
We’ve had occasional gatherings elsewhere with friends and family, but it really feels good to be able to entertain in our home once again.