Living in Unconditional Love (75)
Aug 14, 2022
Living in Unconditional Love (75)
“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 to the day that we met on Long Island. Then my brother Tom became ill, 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, and even though it is abating, I wear my mask anytime I am out among people, unlike many.
08/14/2022 This has been a week of slow recovery interspersed by some joys and a few frustrations. On the joy side is that I met with my fellow bonsai lovers on Friday and had a grand time, including trimming three of my twenty-four trees. They all look nice, and we met in one of the town halls that has finally opened after the pandemic. Fun time, mostly chatting and catching up. We did discuss what to do with my bonsai as I become unable to care for them as they should be, but no real resolution.
We did get invited to present some of our work to the group that meets just before us at the hall, and we accepted for their September meeting, which is just before our next meeting. Should be fun, as I have some really good-looking trees, plus the work that Eileen did using trees from our own growth and woods.
Then on the frustrating side is that kitchen faucet was running really slow, and with some family coming over the weekend for a week I decided to have it fixed, so I called the company I usually do. They came out and fixed it for a hefty fee, then it promptly broke. And then repeat the same. After I thought it was fixed I discovered water this (Saturday) morning all over the floor. Called for emergency help and it took some serious discussion to convince them to come out and fix it today, but a leak is a leak and can be very damaging. It is now fixed, but they had to redo replacing the faucet completely to fix it – I hope. I will watch carefully. (Sunday) While it stayed dry overnight, it starts to drip while being used. Sigh. I will try to get the last person back on Tuesday as that is his next day at work. Probably the spray hose, but we shall see.
My son Dan flew in last night (Friday night) at midnight in Syracuse, and his friend Chad picked him up so I did not have to drive up there late at night. He leaves for Lima, Peru and family around noon on Friday. Tomorrow, Sunday, my daughter Karen and her daughter and my granddaughter Rhianna are flying in for a week. I am looking forward to having family around for a week.
Above all, the sweet corn has started. How I love sweet corn. I will have it almost every night during the season. Mm-mm. I will gain back that weight I lost. Maybe that is why I lost the weight first. (ha!)
It has been very dry; no rain at all. It means I water the bonsai every night and pots when they need it. I am getting a great tomato crop; gave a few away and hope we eat them this week. Mowed lawn a week ago and it doesn’t seem to have grown at all.
I am reading about Creation Theology, and it meshes very well with my own natural beliefs, starting back when between the ages of four to six I was basically alone all summer, free to wonder about in the hay fields and trees and a few small streams, where I spent most of my time chatting with my imaginary friends, usually young Jesus, as I fell in love with nature and found God just there: right here, right now. I have always found God in nature, hence my joy in gardening and bonsai. Eileen and I worked for fifty years to turn our land into a mountain retreat, based on our love of Mohonk Mountain House, and I believe we succeeded as close as possible on only a few acres. I am finding it difficult at times, but I love to wonder from spot to spot just letting my soul rest, silent except for the birds and small animals, not even any thoughts; just the feeling of Presence. What more could I ask for at this moment in my life.
Meditation
Gentle One, I find it so natural to rest in Your presence, especially in the quiet of my retreat I call home. The beauty often overwhelms me to breathlessness and just the feeling of Presence that permeates the air. I am indeed fortunate to have this land to retreat in as I ponder the fullness of life.
Leaky faucets seem to run in the family of late. We too had to replace the kitchen faucet spray hose .
For some reason our tomato plants were dissapointing this year, but the cucumbers were gorgeous. Our vegetables are about done for this season, I guess because of a cold spring, heavy rains, and then fiercely hot days. Will rotate the crops next year for sure.
Enjoy your company and sweet corn.