It has been such a busy active summer with my friend's kids in my life.....I have loved getting to know all 4 of them better. I am grateful to be able to share my nutrition, my life stories and my crazy dances moves! We sit around talking about good manners and considerate behavior while cuddling with all my pets. Sometimes my living room looks like Noah's Ark with tons of pillows and blankets tossed every where among 4 kids and 3 dogs and even 3 or 4 cats especially if it's storming outside. I enjoy this scene, I think it looks so endearing and special to me because I have always wanted my home to be a safe rescue for ALL...... The joy in teaching my kid friends how to cook, how to garden and how to care for the pets fills my heart and my laughter all day long! I am grateful for this summer, I am grateful for the wonders of childhood and the magic I feel when we sit around the fire pit singing songs, telling funny stories and roasting marshmallows! THIS has been a really fun summer full of children adventures! I am grateful.
Every Monday morning I go to clean the house of my elderly friend Bonnie who has been blind most of her life and now at the age of 85 decided she needed a house keeper. Through out the summer we have had such great conversations and I talk loud enough for her to hear, yet she is sad and frustrated with her aging issues. There have been times I simply just hug her as she cries telling her I sure appreciate her just the way she is....we all have bad days of course. I know Bonnie loves siting and chatting more then being reminded she can't clean her house like I can now, so when the thought came to me I knew it was perfect timing!
I sat eating dinner next to my 9 year old friend Tally as she asked "What we doing tomorrow? Getting donuts going to the park again???" I chuckled back explaining "I have to leave fairly early to clean house for a blind elderly lady, she has been really upset lately." Tally asked quickly "Can I come with you?" I replied "SURE, in fact I had been wondering if you would like to tag along we could get a drink at the coffee shop afterwords....she might get a bit crazy or hard of hearing so if you don't like being in the house as I clean you can always hang out in the yard too..." Tally raced off to ask her mother and our Monday morning plans were set!
I was truly confident about this decision because Bonnie needs to be cheered up right now, she needs kindness and refreshing new topics in her life. My beautiful 9 year old friend Tally has all of that bursting in her to get out and make the world a better place! Yet as the introductions unfolded I was struck by the AMAZING way Tally spoke to Bonnie saying "I am so glad to meet you and I want you to know that I understand it's so hard being blind in a world where everyone else can see. I bet you feel left out sometimes and I want you know that I can help you with anything like that." Bonnie burst out of her self-focus in listing all the bad health problems she had to happily hugging Tally giggling as she said back "You are so RIGHT! No one seems to understand how hard it's been being blind especially my own kids! But YOU sound like a very smart girl!" They went to sit down arm and arm as I stood in pure awe. In my heart I knew this was a good choice but in that actual moment I got goose bumps of how PERFECT it turned out.
I went to work quickly and easily even having free time to deep clean all the while thinking as I listened to ALL the many topics they talked about and shared like new friends do! I felt so completely happy and proud of them in getting along so nicely. Then the most magical moment happened Bonnie burst out laughing for the first time all summer in that pure sound of true gleeful delight in whatever Tally had said and I knew as I stopped a moment to listen, I knew THIS was historical and a happy good day! The health benefits from laughing can't even come close to all of her medications and the sound of the soul letting go like that in true joy made me laugh to myself as well.......Tally has such energy, such spark for story-telling and connecting to other human beings she is a truly delightful and full of such a life force! On that Monday morning as I cleaned I saw all of her good qualities like being honest, brave, considerate and confident while wanting to help out that gave us such an amazing day! Bonnie kept hugging her goodbye and looked like someone who was deeply happy saying as we left "I hope you come back to visit me again Tally dear!" I chuckled to myself at how easy it was for them to be new friends saying to Tally as we drove away "I wish I could bring you with me every week! THAT was soooooooo GOOD for her and you were AWESOME!" Tally explained "She really shouldn't be living all by herself I think." I burst out laughing so hard in complete agreement but it took a smart observing nine year old girl to say out loud.
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