May 18, 2025

Living in Unconditional Love (218)

 

“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.

05/18/2025                             Just finished watching the Preakness race and it was exciting. The favorite won, but he was several lengths (5, the news said) behind going into the stretch and he just flew down the track to barely win. He seemed far out at the turn into the home stretch, but his speed was wonderful to watch. Enjoyed it greatly.

This has been a quiet week with not a lot going on. The garden continues to enthrall me, and I mowed the lawn myself as Tim was not feeling great and the grass is growing like crazy. I still have not mowed the lower lawn and I suspect it is very wet, as it rained almost daily at some time all week. The daffodils are still blooming, at least the late blooming ones. The azaleas are starting, including the Pinkus wild azalea grove by the house and hillside. Very nice to watch the hillside and house turn a bright pink. I have other more exotic azaleas that will bloom a little later, plus the rhododendrons that will put on a spectacular show in a few weeks. The first peony, a white tree early peony, has a beautiful bloom.

The phoebe’s have rebuilt their nest on the front porch. They had been coming for many years but did not show last year or were scared off by much coming and going. I was surprised when I saw them here this year, but they leave many “signatures” that they are back. I believe the eggs have hatched (they have two series of eggs) as they start early.

It has been quiet around the new pope as he tries to fit himself into the schedule and then to implement his own touch to the world events. He will hopefully continue the concerns for the poor and immigrant that Pope Francis had started and maybe confront this country on its’ callousness for the poor and hungry. Many a death (perhaps millions according to the news) will result from the actions of the Republican party, aided and abetted by the party voters who will share in the responsibility of the elected officials’ actions. The Pope’s first weekend sermon called out the callousness of the actions of the President without naming him.

I have had to switch between heat and AC several times this week, and I think that will continue until well into June when I will leave it on AC. It is simple enough to do as it is controlled by a remote box. I just must remember that all the units must be set the same as they are all on the same master unit, even though there are three wall units in three rooms. That means I must walk into each room and set the unit, and it must be done rapidly as they do not like to be on different settings, I usually turn off all before going back and turning them on to the new setting.

It feels amazing that next week is Memorial Day weekend, the start of the summer season for outdoor activities.

Meditation

 Gentle One, time is always surprising me and seems to move so fast. I find myself sleeping much of the day and You remind me that I have been given wonderful gardens and views and I must learn to enjoy them. I am glad to be able to see Your joy in the beauty of the lush green of the fields and trees that are turning now. I place my life in Your care and await with joy the next turning point.