Apr 07, 2024

Living in Unconditional Love (161)

 

“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.

04/07/2024                             I have seen a few signs of spring, and the forecast looks like it will finally appear. I had 3-4 inches of snow this week, coming in spurts, usually at night. Naturally I had both heating systems (heat pump and oil burner) fail, so it became quite chilly. All is well now, and the house is nice and warm, but it was quite cool for a couple of days. Several regular daffodils are in bloom, and many more will open over the next two weeks. I will put my bonsai outside in a few days as the temperature starts to climb. I will place them against the east wall of the garage to limit their exposure to the sun for a week before placing them in full sun.

It is about time to remove all protections from the plants, trim the roses, and prune various things to encourage them to grow, and start the fertilizer routine for spring.

Barbara is here to celebrate my birthday on Tuesday and watch the eclipse on Monday. Janet is arriving Sunday night, and we will travel up to Syracuse on Monday to try to see the totality of the eclipse unless clouds intervene. It has been several years since I saw an eclipse, but they are quite startling. We plan an all-day affair, and we hope we find a place to park in a mall, but we will wait and see when we arrive early in the day. It has been hyped like mad and we can expect many will arrive.

My 90^th birthday is on Tuesday, and all in the family who able will join me in a dinner out and a nice celebration. I am still amazed at that number, for it does not seem possible. I am fortunate that I have few aches or pains other than my blood pressure issues and being much slower in what I do each day. The blood pressure meds cause me to lose energy rapidly and I need naps frequently, but other than that I feel fine.

I have been blessed in many ways, and I am grateful to God for the many blessings that have flowed in my life.

Meditation

Gentle One, I am in awe that I have received the many blessings in my life, and they continue to pour-in in bountiful measures. I surrender to the love that fills my life over and over and ask Your forgiveness in my times of weakness. I look in wonder at the beauty of the awakening life that we call spring, watching newness cover the earth with all its glory.