Sometimes it’s hard to find the joy in the day. I wake up in the dark winter and it seems as if the whole world is that way.
Turning on my electric fireplace helps.
And I am so thankful to have a hot faucet so that I can start the day with a series of hot drinks. I begin with a cup of hot water. After that I suppose you could say it’s idiosyncratic! I have the strange habit of making a loose-leaf mix of jasmine and green tea, then using those leaves again I add a bit of rosemary and some hibiscus plus an herbal mix. Strange, but satisfying to me.
I do the New York Times crossword for the day and a NYT game called Spelling Bee. My new joy is Wordle. Intermittently throughout the day I take a break with my Jigsaw Puzzle apps.
I can read poetry. I can listen to my favorite podcasts: either on the Enneagram or Insights at the Edge.
But where is my purpose?
So I start my daily routine of choosing a quote from my huge collection and sending it to different grandchildren every day. I tried to match them to the place they would be – mentally or emotionally – as I envisioned it. At least one grandchild is scheduled for each weekday. (Sometimes I even get a “like”or message, but my main goal is to let them know I am thinking of them.)
My walk takes me out the door past the main joy of my life right now. I have always been the person who watches for the seeds to sprout or the bulbs to poke their little tips through the ground. I am waiting now. When I look at the yard we have created And listen to the trickle of the water features, I am filled with gratitude for the blessing of it all. I won’t forget to post a picture once there are flowers blooming but for now it’s beautiful in itself.
Then I get a message:
“Our last staff positive was on 1/30/21 & resident on 1/31/21. Both should be off quarantine by this Sunday.”
Will it really be over? Will we feel safe walking through the halls? Will we go to dinner and visit instead of having boxes delivered to our door?
x🙏x🙏o🙏o
A Letter to my Children 