There are many different things that cause us to wait and there are different ways to go about waiting. If we are prepared to hunker down and ride it out, while having an attitude of submission and patience towards what is causing us to be held hostage in time, then the delay is not nearly so arduous. What we do while caught (in the waiting room, stuck in traffic, at the bedside of a dying loved one, on a roof top during a flood, bound in a cast or an illness, or even on Mars as in the movie)... can affect the end result and how we feel about the whole experience.
Those of us who think the idea that "time heals everything," is a comfort and solution to someone who has suffered a great loss, I think have missed the mark. In Adele's now popular song (Hello): "They say that time's supposed to heal ya. But I ain't done much healing." And in Imogen Heap's song (Wait It Out) the lyrics claim: "Everybody says that time heals everything. But what of the wretched hollow, the endless in between?" John F. Kennedy's wise mother (Rose), who died at the age of 104 in 1995 and suffered many horrible losses) said “It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.” It isn't ever easy to know what to say or do for people who are hurting. They need to be given time, but they shouldn't have to wait it out alone. We can help people (and animals) "wait it out" until there is healing, freedom, or an end to the sorrow, madness, suffering, and waiting.
Saturday morning it was still snowing during our pre-dawn walk. But it had momentarily ceased when out later for another constitutional.
The white blanket covering everything was beautiful. But the temperature had also dropped considerably and the wind picked up, so it felt and was really cold outside.
Maggie enjoyed numerous walks throughout the day, needing to be taken out every few hours, because she didn't always take care of business. She delighted in digging up sticks beneath the snow or grabbing ice balls off the road and running and jumping with them in play.
I tried to merge three photos to give a panoramic view of the back yard, but couldn't get it to work.
I can't really account for doing much all day. The sun was in and out as it snowed off and on. I enjoyed the beauty of the scenery and birds at the feeders while I sat here at my computer.
I bought this hyacinth to take to Shirley who was recovering from surgery that had been done Friday, but she was snowed into Nashville. So, for three days I got to enjoy the beauty, sweet smell and reminder that spring would come.
Before bed, I took Maggie for an extra long walk because the wind stopped and it was so pretty out. It amazes me how light it can be outside on a moonlight night in the snow. I took several photos but none of them turned out. You'll have to trust me, that it looked like this ->.
but Sunday morning this doe came to eat corn.
I took this series of photos.
I was planning to have to go into work at noon, but got a text message that the Conference Center would be closed yet another day because the parking lot was iced over.
It was another relaxing, do nothing morning. We all (Stevie, Maggie, Joe and I) lazed around. Joe watches TV and reads a lot and I tend to sit here at my computer, taking in people's comments, ideas, photos, and videos.
Mid-day we dropped by Shirley's, who had just gotten home. And then went on to the gym for a good workout. I used the leftover pork roast to throw together another good dinner.
Then, while Joe watched Sunday night football, I worked at filing. The last of this project consisted of making new folders for the new papers and to replace some of the old dog-eared folders. I like to categorize my files in alphabetical order and I don't like two tabs one right behind the other, so I had to do some planning and organizing to complete this job. Also, I intended to move some things into hanging files which are in the roll top desk upstairs and then convert Joe's office files to regular folders. Most of his files are in the hanging folders, that the file cabinet doesn't have the bar racks to hold, so they tend to flop over from the weight of the metal hanging bracket at top.
Jan sent me this photo of the ice balls they have been knocking out of the hooves of the shod horse's when they come in each afternoon. The brown is the underside where the ice was packed into the frog of the horses foot. You can see the size of the ice ball that the horses are walking on. Very slippery and dangerous when they come running into the barn. Jan and Terry have been helping Karen, Sara, and Ambrie with leading the horses in, one by one, and using a hammer to knock out the ice stuck in their hoof and shoe. These lady's give so much to the care of these horses.
We had the last of our nine week Bible study, which went extra long (9-noon) because we were wrapping things up.
Don Hazel took this photo while hiking off-trail with three others. They saw lots of signs of pigs rooting for acorns in the leaves, and then came upon a group of seven of them. He remarked: "Notice they come in several colors. The straight tail indicates wild Eurasian boar influence."
Tea and cookies here at my computer have become the norm, even though I keep telling myself I need to get out of this cycle. It is not a good way to wait out the crummy weather.
I finally got off my duff and took Maggie for a long walk, driving to roads we have not yet been on.
Well, the walk was longer and more of a hike than I anticipated because the roads had lots of trees down and were snow and ice covered. At times I found it easier to go into the woods where the trees hadn't fallen in our way. It was an adventure as the dog and I got tangled with the leash in tree limbs, I slipped on my butt once, I kept thinking of the possibility of meeting up with wild pigs or even a bear, and I worried about getting back to the car before dark.
It was in the upper 40's while we walked, but both of us were pretty wet by the time we got home, well after dark. Maggie joined me by the fire I had made, even though it wasn't really necessary. But it warmed and dried us both. Stevie also spent time snuggling with us. I watched the movie "World Trade Center," a true story about Will Jimeno and his sergeant, John McLoughlin, being found alive, trapped under the wreckage while the rescue teams worked to save them. They talked to each other during hours of pain as they had to wait it out for help to get them.
Seen right, I had taken this photo of the sun setting before I got back to the car.I woke in the middle of the night and wondered if I should get up and do something till I got sleepy again, or if I should just wait it out until I fell back to sleep. The waiting can last for what seems like hours, and I either fall back to sleep, or it is finally time to get up. This time I fell asleep again. But then it was after 6 am before I got up Tuesday morning.
The skies were not sunny all day, and it rained, almost non-stop, until 7 pm. Each time the dog came in from a walk she had to be toweled dry. Through the course of the day, I worked at converting file folders, made many phone calls, and sent e-mails to both check in on neighbors and friends with health issues, and to plan for several events coming up in the next few weeks. My life was about to get busy again.
Joe and I went to the gym together but each did our own thing. He had to wait on me as usual, because I do more of a workout, and am slower in the shower. I made chicken, veggie, and wild rice soup for dinner but afterwards spent more time at my computer than in front of the fire.
Wednesday started out overcast and felt cold because there was no sunshine. I took Maggie on a long walk, again traversing undeveloped roads. The one pictured left looked like it ended, but on the map it connected to another road. So we forged onward. 
Basically, rock and rubble had been piled here long ago, probably in an attempt to build up the roadbed that went through a small ravine. But it had never been leveled. Trees were growing out of the pile and leaves and other trees had fallen on it. You can see in the distance, the road did continue. In this second photo, part of the road had washed out, so no vehicles had traveled down it in a long time. Maggie and I always manage to make our way down these "roads."
The sun did finally come out as I headed into work (first time in eight days... not for the sun coming out, but for me going to work). Half of my 1:30 - 7:15 shift was spent at pool side. 
It looks so much brighter and cleaner with the new paint job. At the front desk, I helped Sabrina with making the 30 table decorations that would be needed, so the shift went quickly.
Waking up at almost 7:00 Thursday morning, I was tired and grouchy because I had not gotten my full night of sleep. The night before, Joe got home later than expected (from playing cards) and then stayed up awhile. The combination of being worried and irritated, along with the light and noise, did not allow me to go back to sleep. So I got up and spent nearly three hours here on the computer before going back to bed.
Shortly after lunch, Joe joined Maggie and I for a walk. I was going to do the far north section of Catoosa, but it is a busy road with not much shoulder, so I decided to make a loop, going on part of the North Hiking Trail loop. It was muddy, slippery, windy, and mostly up hill while in the woods, taking 40 minutes to hike. Another 12 minutes walking down the road and we were back to the car.
After dropping a muddy, wet dog off at the house, Joe took me to the gym and he went to swim and sit in the hot tub at the CC. I was so relaxed and my legs felt like rubber after my weight workout and then a long shower.
Maggie would really like to get her mouth on Stevie's mouse toys, but knows she is to play with her own toys.
1 Back home, I finished the filing project!! J
Joe has been so patient as he has had to wait it out for me to get done. With everything back in drawers rather than scattered about, it looked much better. Leftovers, fire, computer time, TV, and then bed, ended Thursday.
It felt like spring Friday morning so I took Maggie on a longer walk after breakfast. The sun was warm and the birds were singing and there was hope that winter wouldn't last much longer.
Working on this blog most of the morning, I watched birds and squirrels come and go.
I picked up Shirley and we met Judy, Jan, Terry and Karen at Ruby Tuesday's for lunch, celebrating Karen's birthday. The food and fellowship was great. Our lunch lasted 2 1/2 hours we were having such a good time. Stevie was in the sun, on Maggie's bed when I got home. It was tempting to join her on the floor there for a nap, but I carried through with my plans to walk more roads.
I had had such a large lunch that I only snacked for dinner. I got a fire going and sat down here to finish this blog, but I was too tired to complete it. I think I was sound asleep just after 8:30, the time I had gone to bed.
Oh, one last thought on waiting it out... don't do it when it comes to broken relationships or misunderstandings, thinking the problem will go away, get better, or resolve itself over time. Life is too short and there is no guarantee for tomorrow. Resolve any problem, disagreement, or transgression as soon as possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment