Apr 13, 2025

 Living in Unconditional Love (213)

 

“Love flows from God to humans without effort:

As a bird glides through the air without moving its wings-

Thus, they go wherever they wish united in body and soul,

Yet separate in form.”

–Mechtild of Magdeburg

 

My wife Eileen died from esophageal cancer in February 2020 one year after being diagnosed, 60 years after we met on Long Island. Then my brother Tom became ill (not COVID), and I spent a total of six weeks being with him in Ohio, but he died in October 2020. My sister-in-law Sue Mahoney died from Covid-19 in January 2021. On top of it all stood the pandemic, locking everyone down almost two years. Covid has proved to be a persistent problem, and many of the long-term effects are quite serious, and it has proven much more serious than flu.

04/13/2025                             Another year has passed, and it was a good birthday celebration since Dan arrived in the early evening (Wednesday) and Tim, Dan and I ate out. Tim drives any long distance now as the meds I take for blood pressure leave me too sleepy for anything over a half an hour drive. Tim brought my favorite cake, angel food, and raspberries and blueberries for a topping. I have been eating it slowly and relishing the taste. I am very fortunate to have little or no pain, but I am not as stable on my feet as I was but that is part of aging.

It has been good to have Dan here for a few days and he will be leaving for his next meeting on Tuesday morning. So, a nice long visit with time to chat over life. I have seen the girls on facetime a few times, and I still get a thrill when they get excited to see me. Maria especially misses her daddy and hauled a suitcase out one time announcing she was ready to board a plane to join us in New York as she had her suitcase. She really hates to see him go when he leaves on a trip. The others are more restrained, but I know they miss him and feel safer when he is around.

The daffodils are slow in starting to bloom, but it has been cold and damp. I hope to get the bonsai out in the next few days, even though they are still predicting freezing temperatures late this coming week but within allowable temperatures.

I will make little comment on the political situation as it is so painful for so many, and there is nothing I can do to alleviate the situation.

Next week is Easter, and I am not sure when I will get my journal out. I will attend Saturday night services and leave Sunday morning for Barbara’s and then out to a nephew and nieces’ home on Long Island as I do every year to greet the family. It will be fun, but jam packed with things to do, so my jottings will be catch as catch can.

Meditation

Gentle One, I place my trust in You at this time of self-destruction that You will see us through the pain. I hope to be an agent of Your love for those that I reach and, in that way, to bring Your peace to my part of the world. So many will suffer by the actions of the new administration, and I grieve with those whose livelihood and support have been removed.