. The Dessert Years .

Original Source of Photo Unknown

Blogger’s Note: Admittingly, I have w-a-y too much time on my hands today. I am enjoying a unscheduled day-off as my body has ever-so-gently communicated that I must unplug (partake of homeopathy, wear layers of comfy clothing, sip mugs of café mocha — I did start with herbal teas(!), and nap and/or read and/or surf the ‘Net).

I have often joked (?) that when I am old (read: when my nest is empty, I wear furry houseshoes to the grocery store and there have been Social Security checks deposited in my checking account* for several years) I intend to sit on the patio of my country home and smoke cigars at all hours of day and night (and some other stuff that really doesn’t need to be mentioned here …).

Certainly, wearing purple and other eclectic acts (poem by Elizabeth Lucas) does appeal to me. However, doing something I originally did in my college days with dear and beloved friends (who shall remain nameless!) and something that, when merely mentioned, elicits the coveted “rolling of the eyes” response from my oldest two children (oh, so, so sweet bonus entertainment points for this mom!) — well, it just seems like the thing to do.

And, that is the background of why I adore this photo of woman who seems to sport my tastes in wardrobe and style.

*Yeah! Like that is really going to happen!

Country Sky

There are options to suffering in silence … To remaining motionless when the winds of Fear whirl about your being … To melting into the sorrow and despair of A Moment.

Throughout the stages of Life, we are blessed to have companions in our journey. Some stay for a day or brief moment, others join us from time to time, and still others remain with us through time. If we become lost in our journey — when we cannot even see with understanding that which is around us — we often cannot see the friends who stand in-waiting to walk alongside. We lose sight of friends in-waiting if our hearts have been wounded, or we believe we can no longer trust another person enough to confide.

We can also be blind to friends and lose our way if we have journeyed long, or the once-bright light of our goal has become dim or clouded by Challenge.

However … We can choose to move through despite our temporary blindness — to move through the darkness by pressing our hands against The Wall and recovering our ability to see. We can accomplish this as we willfully change lanes via changing our thinking.

What are you thinking? What thoughts do you dwell on each day? What thoughts have now become beliefs (which may or may not be factual). What limits to friendship do you believe to be factual (when, in reality, are merely your opinions)? Regarding friendship … What kind of a friend are you ?

These were the questions I had to answer as I journeyed with Motherhood (and its related roller coaster rides and heartbreak), Cancer (and its related adventures of chronic pain and, of course, mean-o-pause ) and the countless other adventures that propel all of us to finding a way out of the dark, dense “Forest of Way-To-Real Reality.”

There are no formulas or quick fixes. However, there are simple solutions to be discovered within the sometimes tiny (sometimes huge!) blessings within each day spent in said forest. Friendship is one of those blessings. But there are other blessings; blessings that serve as brightly-colored flags — planted by those who came before — along the dark, narrow path of Moving Through. And You’ve Got A Friend! [song] A Friend waiting for you … And, most of the time we walk by faith and not by sight. Otherwise, we will be too blind (and perhaps even bitter) to see that Friend.

I would not wish
Any companion in the world but you.
Shakespeare, The Tempest
Miranda to Ferdinand

Friendship Among Women: An alternative to fight or flight

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. ~John 15:13