Communities

I have not been present in the blogging community much at all in the last month or so. Don’t know why. I have been having lots of wonderful thoughts and things to blog about, but have not been able to muster up the energy to do so. Today, Sunday morning, I finally have some time to let my mind roam.

I have been part of lots of communities lately though. Communities that fill me with joy and communities that filled me with something else I can’t quite name; deep thoughts and sadness perhaps. Let me tell you about them.

There is the community of my friend Diane and I. She was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and had a lumpectomy. She also had a scare with a possible gynecologic cancer which turned out not to be present, thank goodness. As I mentioned in an earlier post Diane and I recently reconnected after not being in close contact for several years. We have been friends since grade school and lived a block apart from each other. I am so thankful that we are back in touch and I can be a bit of support for her. She has to go through radiation and chemotherapy in the coming months; I am hoping that I can do something that helps her.

I remember being part of a geriatric community when I worked as a nursing assistant in several nursing homes in my 20's. This memory was really strong when I watched a documentary on PBS this week about art therapy and Alzheimer's patients. It was so wonderful to watch people with advanced dementia come alive through creating art and viewing masterpieces at museums. It really made me think about how much I enjoyed working with the geriatric set and how I long to have a job where I feel like I am making a real difference in the lives of others. Have to keep working on that goal!

As I watched the movie I felt so alive and full of possibility.

Community also came into play on Memorial day weekend when the community of my Mom and myself went to New Carlisle, Indiana to place flowers on family graves. I think the mother/daughter community is such a wonderful place to be. My mom goes to the cemetery at least twice a year to place flowers. This year it really struck me what a beautiful beautiful gesture this is. We placed red geraniums on my Great Grandparents' graves, my Grandma and Grandpa Bates' and my Uncle Bob’s graves. This cemetery in this little town in Indiana is one of the places on this earth where I can really feel my soul reverberating inside my body. I felt so close to my essence and the essence of all that is beautiful and loving. Just knowing that all of these graves were joined by the red geraniums meant that this family was once again all together in our thoughts. I like to think that if I flew over the cemetery in a plane I would be able to see all of the red geraniums scattered throughout the cemetery and know it was a sign of joining loving hearts together again.

Cross stitch community has also been a big part of my life lately. I have been lucky enough to find some very wonderful women through this lovely craft and have been able to spend time stitching (and shopping) with them through many evenings. It is just such a blessing to be able to share a passion with others.

Community also takes place at my workplace with my friend, Jane. We are a community of two making it through the absolutely crazy days that transpire. We are a community of two going through the ongoing pain of her divorce and the happiness of her finding her own way through this time and on to a better life.

I am in a community of dear friends that I have not spoken with in some time; many of them are going through very difficult times. I love them so deeply yet I do not get on the phone to them. What is wrong with me? I know I hate talking on the phone but there is no excuse for this. I am going to have to get on the stick. However, I am always thinking about Noreen, Lorie, Bertha, Dorothy and Julie.

I am a community with my dear husband. We are readying ourselves and our house for some major remodeling. New bathroom and kitchen!!! New windows! Landscaping! I got a new cross stitch chair! It is exciting and anxiety provoking. On top of that our dear little cat Pal had a bladder infection and obstruction. He had to spend three nights in the animal hospital. I missed him and I could feel it in my body (the missing part). He came home yesterday and things have felt good around here. I even managed to give Pal his pills by mouth after watching a video about it on the community of the internet! I cannot leave our home community without mention of our cat, Buddy who took it upon himself to sleep by my side when Pal was in the hospital. He must have known that I was upset and needed some feline closeness! He usually sleeps by Mike.




I am part of a community of friends that includes the lovely Sharon and Melissa. We get together every so often for dinner and soulful conversation which helps us carry on. We met last Friday and had a very big conversation about vegetarian diets and how they each evolved into that life choice. I definitely learned a lot and have a lot to think about.

Oh yes I whine and moan many times about things that happen in my life; but I truly know how blessed I am and am so thankful for all that I have. The community of blogging is such an important part of my life.