letter to Dood, on this new journey

Dearest Dood,

 

I do hope your Walk To Emmaus has been a beneficial one. I know that often it isn't the end of the journey that brings the most satisfaction, but the journey itself which has the most memorable moments. It seems that is the message at the heart of this spiritual path you have been taking this weekend.

The journey is the important part.

The people on the journey with you are also important, as you learn about each other through conversation. You learn of each others ideals, concerns, dreams, beliefs - all things that are the essence of those people, all things which are the essence of you.

You have come so far on your journey already, especially during the past decade and more. I am so proud of the man you are becoming, of the man you have been since your return to Savannah, and your sense of responsibility not only to yourself but to others.

The journey is ongoing. Every day brings challenges, every day brings choices to be made, every day is a new day of faith in God.

No one walks their journey alone.

God is always with each and every one of us.

We hear His voice in the trills of birdsong, the whisper of wind in the trees, in the rush of a waterfall.

We see His image in the tide running up the shore, in the clouds of a blue sky, in the images of all life - even in the mirror.

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." That has long been a favorite quote of mine, from a Jesuit cleric, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. I hope it will have meaning for you.

I look forward to hearing of your experience on this latest spiritual journey.

with much love always,

your one and only sister

Mama, can you believe she's 40?

Dearest Mama,

That first grandchild of yours is forty years old today.

F-O-R-T-Y.

I remember when I turned 40 like it was yesterday.

What a grand birthday that was!!!

And here was Christina Ann, at the fortieth birthday party of mine, on the day reserved for family.

Remember?

Jeff did a cookout and we had all the family over, with all their kids, and with you and Frank, of course, on that Sunday of my extended birthday weekend.

She was fifteen years old then.

And now...

now, she's the age I was then.

That must mean a quarter of a century has elapsed, somehow...

much of it with you gone.

I have tried to be an especially good aunt to her, hoping to make up for your absence.

Silly me...

as if one person could replace another.

(smile)

She and I have become great friends, each remembering how to give your special hugs to each other, as well as to other members of the family... but especially to each other.

(smile)

Saturday, I'll be going to the birthday party that her little sister Chelsea is hosting.

Yes, the little sister that got married back in November of 2021.

She and her man have at long last gotten their new home livable, complete with working kitchen and new floors - I know Chelsea is loving being able to cook at home!

Yeah, that's a long time to not have a kitchen.

(smile)

Anyway, as I said the party is on Saturday and I'm making sure your presence will be there, as represented by the presents I have for Christina Ann.

You see, you instilled a deep fondness for "The Wizard Of Oz" in me and in her.

Neither of us can watch that movie and not feel you right there with us.

In fact, remember when you helped me find that stand-up birthday card a few months back?

Yes, the one with the motif from that movie.

(smile!)

Well, that set the theme for my gifts to her!

The gold filigree Christmas ornament with the tornado, Dorothy, and her little dog, too -

the gold filigree Christmas ornament with the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion -

and the set of four pins, one of which had those ruby red slippers!

Those will be perfect... and are still in their packaging from that Beech Mountain trip!

(smile!)

Yes, just perfect.

Thank you, Mama.

with much love always...

and tomorrow is another day

Hey Tony!
Guess what I did on Friday? I walked all the way around Daffin Park. That's 1.5 miles! The course was originally set for cutting through the park, but most of us walked from the center to Waters, south to Washington, east to Bee, north on that to Victory, then west back to Waters before cutting back to the stage for the event. Whew!
Also, as I had parked behind Grayson Stadium and the fundraiser met in the middle of the park, I figure I walked close to an extra mile from my car to the site and then back to my car. 

What was I doing? It was the annual Leukemia and Lymphoma "Light The Night" Walk. In years past, it's been held at Forsyth Park, with folks walking down Bull Street and a few of the squares. I guess they figured this would be less dangerous, as we don't walk in front of any cars. Hooray!

I haven't been part of the walk for three years. In 2014, I had been in charge of the team for the College of Science and Technology (CST) at Armstrong. I called the team Cheering Scientists Toward a Cure, the name I had come up with in my first walk in 2011. (Get it? CST?) Anywho, no one at CST donated a single cent, so I didn't receive a T-shirt for the walk. No worries - I just made my own! I wore it again for this walk, as I had only signed up on Friday morning and had not raised the $100 for the event shirt. And guess what? At the end of the walk, they GAVE me a t-shirt anyway! Nice!

I've attached a photo so you can see my handiwork. I tell you, I had a woman come up to me and THANK ME for the slogan on my shirt. She had brain cancer several years ago. I had some other folks take photos of the back of my shirt, too, while I was dancing. Dancing to what? Dancing to the live band they had! Really good mix of tunes, too, ranging from Glen Campbell's 'Gentle On My Mind' to John Denver's 'Country Roads' and Rod Stewart's 'First Cut Is The Deepest'. With those songs, you'd think the band members would be old, but I doubt that any of the foursome was even thirty yet. They are called Lyn Avenue and I'll be keeping on eye on them for sure!

Why did I go on that walk? Well, it's one of the very few that are held in the evening. Most of the 5K runs and walks start at 7:30 in the morning - on a SATURDAY! No way am I doing that! The 'Light The Night' Walk begins about 7:30 PM - that's more like it!
I also went on the walk in memory of Eric Newton. I had told you he was in the hospital, right? Well, he died on Wednesday night. I still haven't heard anything about when his funeral will be. I guess Patti is still trying to finalize the details on that. I really feel for her; her second husband, Glenn, died just two weeks ago, of cancer.

I have another walk on Saturday. It's the 'Glow The Mall Pink 5K' to raise money for breast cancer research. I went on it for the first time last year - I'm sure I must have written about it, since I won a medal for my age group! (smile!) It begins at midnight and goes around Oglethorpe Mall.
I'll be going to a pumpkin-carving party before it, just as I did last year.
It's almost 11 PM, so I'll wrap this up.
love you, Tony!