Aug 06, 2023

Living in Unconditional Love (126)

 

“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.

8/6/2023                                 I was able to wonder around the gardens today (Saturday). The daylilies are drawing to a close, and the few orienpet garden lilies that the deer did not eat are in bloom, including the original cross made back in the 1960s, Black Beauty. Dad was a good friend of the originator who gave him some of the original bulbs before they were on the market, and dad, in turn, gave some to me a few years later. Orienpets are a difficult cross between Orientals and Trumpets lilies, which should not have been possible genetically as they are in two different families. The breeder told my dad that he had tried over 400 times to get the one cross. The originator was not believed for many years as almost all others did not think it possible. Once proven to be possible, many more have been produced and they are usually spectacular. Some can grow up to 8 feet tall, with spectacular blooming heads. My father won best in show in the national show sometime in the ‘80s with a different cross with two blooming heads of over 45 blooms each, with the blooming heads of about four feet each. I saw them shortly before the show time, and I could not touch the top before they were cut for the show.

Sitting outside on the deck can be very soothing, and I do not do that often enough. The day just seems to slip by and then it is time to make supper. Part of my joy in this time of the year is that the sweet corn is starting, and I can have my two ears almost every night. I find it wonderful, but maybe because I can break some of my rules on salt and butter – hmmmm. The next month will be tasty.

The pond is murky, but not full of the nasty blue-green algae that I have had in the past. I used some heavy chemicals that seemed to have removed it a few years ago, and it has remained without the nasty stuff for two years now. I am always amazed at the beauty of the pond and the trees that frame it while I sit in the gazebo resting out on the pond a bit. Truly breathtaking.

My daughter Karen had a major birthday on Thursday, but she ended the day in the hospital with a UTI. She is still there, and I just chatted with her, and she is very much under the weather. She hopes to go home tomorrow (Sunday) and with some help she thinks she can take care of herself. She will be staying with her sister Maureen in Columbus who works from home. But I am concerned. On top of that, one of her two dogs died earlier this week. Difficult week for her. She was hardly able to talk, which is not like her at all.

Life can be challenging at times, but luckily not for everybody at the same time, usually. This allows us the pace to give consolation to those in pain, because sometimes we too will be on that side of the series of events and need support.

Meditation

Gentle One, I place my trust in You at this time. You feel my worry and concern over Karen, and I place her in Your care and protection. I understand that our time here is but a few short years, and I give myself into Your care and protection while I am still here on earth. I miss Eileen, and that never seems to end, but I was blessed with 60 years of her breathtaking presence and for that I am truly grateful.