Thoughts

A Woman’s Prayer

Backstory

I enjoy reading letters, poems, and prose written long ago. The prose of old is so lyrical, especially when related to romance. How I enjoyed reading the letters sent by my grandfather Anthony to the lovely Stella. They met at an afternoon dance, and he was immediately smitten. I could just see their love grow, as the letters moved from witty to wistful to fervent.

Today’s show looks into some very old words in a prayer spoken nearly a hundred years ago. Marvel at its simplicity and humility.

A Woman’s Prayer

Elsie sent in a prayer written by Lillian Mayfield Roberts, sometime between 1921 and 1938. After 80 years, it still seems a relevant appeal. Lillian prayed,

“Dear God, I am a woman – no weaker and no stronger than the rest. And I ask this prayer tonight, for help and guidance in the little things.

“If I could feel your hand upon my lips on days when I am sick, or merely tired of all the trivial worries, perhaps the stabbing words would not dart out, to wound my child, and turning, cut into my heart.

“I do not want to nag. I only want guidance to understand that each of us has her small troubles, and that mine are not harder in truth than other women bear.

“And when the little troubles vex me so, I am too prone to turn and cry them out In maudlin tears upon my husband’s breast. Keep me from this; he has enough to bear.

“And one more prayer that I would make tonight: If I could only see the difference between the really big things and the little things. . .

“I do not ask for better, or for more, I only ask for this: God keep my soul from growing petty. It will be enough. Help me in this, and I am satisfied.”

P.S. I love this simple morning prayer because it expresses gratitude and children easily remember the words, due to the rhyme.

For this new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends.
For everything Thy goodness sends,
We thank Thee, dearest Lord. Amen.

[Show #633]

Mystique of Love

Backstory

Picture this. You are an adult, independent and strong, on your own in the world. You go through life, just putting one foot in front of the other, and feeling satisfaction with what fills your days. Things are OK. You have no overwhelming joy, but no complaints either.

And then, out of the blue, someone comes into your life. A chance meeting, introduction by a mutual friend, getting acquainted with a fellow volunteer. It could come from somewhere really close, or through something you would never have anticipated. And suddenly, everything changes. That person starts to become the center of your existence. What a difference it makes. You know joy beyond belief.

The sky gets bluer, you walk straighter, you smile more, you pay more attention to how you look and what you wear. What’s going on? It’s scary, because you see your independence waning as your thoughts go from “me” to “us.” Sounds like the start of an affair of the heart.

What magic causes it? How do you control it or manage it? Some say you should forget about analyzing it. They wisely suggest that you simply succumb to it and enjoy the greatest pleasure that life has to offer.

I broke the rule one afternoon and decided to analyze my feelings for the love of my life. I sat back and reminisced and smiled all the way, following the trajectory of our love. This show was the result of that consideration

Mystique of Love

Sometimes I’m just sitting and doing my work, a thousand thoughts fluttering across my brain, frantically trying to capture the ideas appropriate to the moment or the project at hand. Suddenly his smile spreads across the cluttered landscape of my mind…and I have to stop and smile back.

What a warm and wonderful feeling, remembering our last moments together – and how we hate to bring them to an end, just because night beckons or responsibilities call.

Thinking about him helps me keep from reverting to the old, workaholic habits. It makes me pace myself and stop taking it all so seriously. It makes me glance at the clock to count the hours until I can see that smile in person and feel that embrace and give back and enjoy every moment of it.

I look forward to sharing my day with him. He is, after all, my best friend. We’ll talk about whatever circumstance the day has caused – physical pain, frustration, joy, success or just quiet contentment for another day’s work done.

So, THIS is what love is all about. Why didn’t somebody tell me?

P.S. Falling in love has always intrigued me. The emotions evoked, the joy experienced, when suddenly you realize that you care more about another person than you do about yourself. Awesome.

[Show #505]

Christmas Cards

Backstory

You probably start Christmas shopping in October, like my friend Susan. Her gifts are wrapped, labeled and stored long before most people. She is really good at selecting just the right present. Wouldn’t it feel good if something you choose for someone this year wound up being the best gift they ever had?

Christmas Cards

Do you send Christmas cards? Lots of people no longer do. It may not be in their budget . . . or they don’t have the time . . . or they have not kept up with the physical addresses of friends and family, because they stay in touch on Facebook or through email.

Personally, I still send greeting cards. If you receive one from me, know it was selected especially for you. I don’t buy a box of all the same cards and just dole them out. Families with children get a card with Santa or a snowman or a happy feel. Mature adults may get a vintage scene. Religious recipients will probably bear a nativity scene. Cards to my Jewish or Arabic friends will wish happy holidays rather than Merry Christmas.

I begin the card-sending process, the day after Thanksgiving, making sure my list is up to date, selecting each card for each person or family, and writing a personal message in each.

For some folks, there may be one of those Christmas letters that some folks dread and others cherish. They only go to those I think would want to know what the last 365 days have brought to my life. My letters will be heavy on the good news, light on the stuff that sucks. If you receive one, I hope you enjoy it or at least put up with me connecting the dots of the last year.

Merry Christmas.

[Show #519]

Fog

Backstory

It’s a foggy morning here in the Shenandoah Valley. The vapor moves slowly along; hiding from view, everything over 10 feet away. It’s early morning and very quiet. What a wonderful time for wondering, daydreaming, allowing random thoughts to flutter across the busy landscape of my mind and take their own detours, left and right.

I sat here for quite a while, doing just that. Torn between getting the words down on paper – or just letting them glide in and out, unattended and undirected.

Most of the thoughts were quite elusive. I felt naughty, allowing them to swirl around so. I am usually disciplined about getting them down on paper. But they came and went like dry fallen leaves, on the rush of a nor-easter.

It took major concentration to finally come down and reconnect with reality. Once I did, this is the episode that came “Out of the Fog.”

Out of the Fog

The mountains have disappeared. Often, they simply turn blue with the weather. Today, they are invisible; masked by the early morning fog.

I feel alone in this temporary setting, shielded from anything that is not in my heart and mind this morning. I have the freedom to think any kind of thoughts.

I can worry about the world . . . or think happy thoughts. I can review my responsibilities . . . pay my bills . . . visit FaceBook friends.

Instead, I think I will sit here quietly. Just you and me. I’ll think about how grateful I am that you stop in – some, once in a while, some, every Sunday.

I love to share with you thoughts and stories and laughs. I like to pass along reminders of the good things we have to hold on to. Often reminders about being thankful, and expressing that thanks. Reminders about the love that surrounds you. Maybe a little nudge about reaching out or speaking up – or keeping quiet.

So many thoughts to share . . . So many stories to tell.

Thank you for spending these 90 seconds with me. Even if your day starts with fog, like mine did, may it end, with hope.

P.S.

Now that we are out of lock-down and into more pre-pandemic rhythm, don’t become so caught up with “hurry” that you forget time out. Continue to leave space for contemplation. And above all, be kind.

[Show #622]

World Upside Down

Backstory – World Upside Down

The last few months of 2016 in our house were spent in a stupor of political rhetoric, promises, accusations and commentary. No different from homes throughout America. But it was more than listening to the candidates and making your best guess to separate fact from fiction. Views and values were so opposite one another that it took really delving into each of them to try to sort things out. That was a lot of work!

Just when you came to a conclusion on an issue, something new would pop up that seemed to shoot down your well-developed logic, or lay waste to a new truth you thought you could hang onto.

I wanted to write about it; but not in favor of one candidate or the other. I wanted to voice the questions echoing in my heart. I wanted to stop the fear. No matter which way the election went, I could feel fear.

Looking back in my own life made it clear that this is not the first time that things seemed confusing to the average citizen. I was not yet a teenager when I cheered my first presidential candidate and proclaimed, “I like Ike.” Extremely uninformed of the issues, I was delighted to feel part of this important process. I remember how heated things got.

And reading the history of our country, I see that early campaigning was no less kind or gentle. Candidates went for the jugular!

With all this in mind, I took to writing this episode entitled, “Upside Down.”

Consider This Show – World Upside Down

Click to listen or follow below to read.

Things are so different these days. Sometimes it feels like the world is upside down. Right is wrong and wrong is right and it’s all so confusing.

Our Communication is instant and uncensored, with opinions developed often on inaccurate or inadequate information. No time to bother finding out the truth. And the very concept of truth is spun so completely that the truth is illusive, if not invisible.

Fear is prevalent daily – especially for parents.

Did our parents feel the same way? Were they as terrified as war raged in one part of the world or another and seemed to get closer and closer? Was there so much danger in the world then?

Or is it just that we didn’t have the capacity to hear instantly about every crime in every corner of every town.

Values are changing at break-neck speed. Do we go along with the new trends? Oppose them? Just sit around and shake our heads?

Are we caught up in pining for the good ole days? Or have we fantasized those days into something they were not?

So many questions; so few answers. Yet the decisions we make daily based on the facts we perceive create the quality of life that we enjoy or suffer in the future.

So much to consider. Such high stakes. God help us!

[Show #615]