Thoughts...

I was reading a note on Facebook posted by Marion Chesney aka M. C. Beaton this morning. She talked of the dog days of summer, people gone on holiday and the kind of holiday she dreams of, the "good old days" versus today's world.

"I never dream of beach holidays... I like holidays in cities with theatres and opera houses and old buildings. I like sitting on boulevards and watching the world go by... The cafes are no longer smart and not even cheap to make up for it. The shops are chain shops. But otherwise I do not long for the so-called good old days... So many bad things have been eased out. And so many bad things are now with us. I have friends who find the present world situation frightening. All one can do, I suppose, is to make life as pleasant as possible for as many in ones immediate environment and hope some of the ripples spread out across the murky pond." ~ Marion Chesney

I left this comment:

"This piece stuck a chord with me. I don't dream of beaches, other than to walk one in the cool morning, when not many are around. I love people, but love solitude perhaps even more. I have fond memories of earlier days, but no desire to go back. My dreams now are much the same as they've always been. Wishes for a peaceful world, a stable income, good health, a place to call home, surrounded by people I love... those are the things I wish for everyone."

Looking back and treasuring happy memories is good therapy for the soul, as long as we don't forget to live in the present. That said, this day is especially poignant for me. It's the 16th anniversary of my brother's passing. There's sorrow in this memory, and I relive it every year on this date.

We can't go back, and most of the time we wouldn't want to. The moments I love to remember, and might wish to revisit, are the happy times. Days of laughter, singing together, Christmases, birthdays, trips to Lucky Peak or Robie Creek for picnics and swimming, perusing second hand and antique stores, sitting in the back yard with a Coke and the radio playing some tunes, the smiles, the hugs.

The lesson is to treasure the moments as they come. The magic of my everyday life. The simple joys and pleasures. There is no guarantee of anything other than this very moment. When I look back at my life, the sad and the beautiful moments, it's the beauty which stands out the strongest. I write about the pain, because it helps to dilute it. In reflecting on my memories, it's the beauty which overrides the pain, and there has been so much beauty! So much joy! So many things to smile about and to be thankful for!

Wishing you days filled with Joy!

© 08Aug2016 ajj

February - It's About Relatives

The February prompt for NaBloPoMo is Relative.  They're also posting a daily prompt on weekdays, weekends are free writing.  If you're interested in the daily prompts, go HERE.  There is no pressure to follow them, the main thing is to just keep writing every day.  The one suggested for today is "mother" and I've written a lot about my two mothers.  If you scroll down to my Labels List, you can select stories to read about both of them.  They are under mom, momma, and grandma.  In fact, I just added them to the labels at the bottom of this post to make it easier.  Did you know you can click on a label, and you go right to the posts on that subject?  It took me a while to figure that out when I first began blogging.

Donnie & big brother Ronnie

 Even before I knew that the prompt was to be Relative, I'd been thinking about family.  A couple days ago, I started pooling photos into a "Siblings" album.  I have quite a few siblings.  My lil sis and I share the same mother and father, but there were also half brothers, half sisters, step brothers and a step sister.  Two half brothers are no longer with us.  Donnie was the baby.  He passed on very young from Leukemia.  I have such strong memories of those last days with him.  He didn't live with us, but when he became so ill, Dad brought the boys over more often.  I remember the bruises on his little arms.  I asked grandma why he had so many and heard the word "transfusions" for the first time.  He was so sweet, and his journey in this life was too short.  I imagined arms of ancestors wide open, waiting for him.  I did wonder if I'd prayed harder, would God have let him stay.  I was ten years old.

My brother Tommy also left this life before I was ready.  I've written about him several times before.  The labels are Tom, Tommy, and Brother.  I still miss him.  Some days it hurts to think about him.  Most days I have peace because I believe he is with others I love, just out of sight, in that spiritual world we cannot see with our human eyes.

Our siblings play such important parts in our lives.  They are pieces of the puzzle that make us who we are.  I love every one of mine and am thankful my life was blessed with them.

© 01FEB2012 ajj

This is an old post...

I was just thinking of my little brother, Tom, and missing him today.  I posted this on his birthday in 2008.  It seems unreal to me that he's been gone 11 years now.  I hope you enjoy "meeting" him...

http://littlegreygardens.blogspot.com/2008/07/happy-birthday-tommy.html

Brothers... Charity Yard Sale... Helping Hands

My mind has been on "brothers" this week.  My brother, Tom, has been gone 10 years today.  I still miss his laughter, hugs, and our conversations.  His birthday was July 31st, so it's been a time of reflections and remembering.  You can see pictures of him on a birthday post I did a couple years ago... Click HERE.

I've been busy the past couple weeks preparing for a Charity Yard Sale.  It was this Friday and Saturday, and went really well.  The "brother" connection was... the sale was to raise money for a family who recently found out their 2 year old son has Leukemia.  It will be a minimum of three years of treatment.  About forty-three years ago, I lost my 3 year old brother, Donnie, to Leukemia.  I remember the agony in my Dad's eyes and in Mary's (his mother's) face.  I remember thinking how sad it was that Ronnie did not have his baby brother anymore.  I had hoped to scan pictures of Ron and Donnie, but unfortunately my scanner is still unresponsive.  I may need a Printer/Scanner Surgeon... or a shopping trip...

I was so happy to help raise money for this family.  No parent should have to lose their baby.  And, his brother needs him in his life.  Remember them in your prayers. 

God is so good, He will meet their needs if we just ask... and sometimes His answer is to put our hands to the task.  That is what He required of me this week... to give a helping hand.

Blessings to each of you today!

Happy Birthday Tommy!

Today is my little brother's birthday

He was promoted to the next life in the summer of 2000

It was less than 2 months after I received my MS diagnosis

It was just a few months before mom

received her diagnosis of Ovarian Cancer

It was a year of change for my entire family

But, as always,

God was faithful to help us through it all...

Here are a few remembrances and photos...

Tommy had three names because momma and I couldn't agree

and she had said I could help choose his name
sooo...

it was George Thomas Gregory Roberts

I adored him...

He loved cowboys... so did I. This is "Bad Guy, Good Guy"

Here we are in "The Seventies", oh my....

Tom and Lana

He had just gotten home from his time in the National Guard

With our Uncle Tom, getting ready to go boating...

I love this picture.

~~~
My very favorite picture,

the one we used for his memorial service

got lost when my computer crashed a while back.

When I find the original, I will add it here.

It is of Tom riding in the boat

That's how I like to think of him

Sailing along somewhere, with no more cares

Maybe looking in on us once in a while

Not too much though...

I'm sure there is plenty to do

in Heaven....

Happy Birthday Tommy!

You know I love you...