The past few months I have been working the morning shift at work. This involves me getting up and leaving earlier in the morning. Please understand why this is an ordeal as I am not a morning person, generally it is not wise or productive to talk to me till after 8:30 or 9am. I am just not really ready to deal with all the stuff in the world in a happy, kind, loving way. It is kinda like a morning cup of coffee thing, only I don't drink coffee.
So since I am working earlier this puts me in the Morning traffic pattern. If I don't leave the house before 8:40am I have to sit and wait 5 min for the school bus to load at the stop down the street, because it is for a whole development of kids. If I work earlier, don't leave by 8:25am and if I have to mail something, I end up behind another bus stop of a whole development of kids for 5 min.
At first I would be upset if I did not make the turn before the bus and fume as I was sitting there obeying the signs. Then I started realizing that as I was sitting there waiting for the 20 plus kids to get on the bus, seated and settled before that flashing stop sign closes, was that the car was heating up, it was warmer and kinda nice. My fingers thawed, I could take off the 2 hats & gloves, I wasn't so upset to sit here waiting. Now most of these days I was in the left lane as I had tried to speed past the bus before it stopped. One day I was in the right lane, right behind the bus.
Being in the right hand lane was the right lane to be in... It was here I realized there was more like 30+ kids at this bus stop. But also there were 15+ parents standing there, waiting with the kids for the bus, chatting with each other, watching to make sure the kids don't run in the street, that they line up nicely to board the bus. Then as the kids were settling in on the bus, those same parents all stood there waiting, laughing, smiling... and waving to the kids as they went off to school.
Suddenly, peace came over me, I smiled, I thought of the kids feeling so special to have someone wave goodbye to them, to wait and say have a nice day, I love you. Some parents were dressed to then go on to work, some dressed to spend the day at home, some I could tell were still in their pajamas and I think of how they were lucky to get to the bus stop in time. I started to smile, watching these parents... and as they waved to their kids as the bus pulled away, I found myself waving to them as I pulled by. As if to say, thank you for caring, for being there for your kids, thank you for sending them off with a smile, love. They waved back... thank you for sending me off with a smile and a Have a Good Day...
Now as I turn the corner in the mornings I hope that I am going to be stopped behind that bus for 5 minutes to be part of a special morning routine. And I do end up having a good day, I also wish that I could be there in the afternoon when bus drops everyone off, I hope those same parents are there waiting to say, welcome home, I love you.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Saturday, February 2, 2013
The end of the beginning....
I have been trying to formulate a thought, direction, or clear meaning into what I want to say... I do have other things to talk about other than the Dog's progress... and yet that is all that I can put into clear thoughts. So for lack of getting my act together this week, I shall just let you know...
Miss Maggie is doing WONDERFUL!!! She is surprising everyone, which really is not a surprise if you know Maggie. IRWS's do everything at 110%, so our ups will be amazing, our downs will be dramatic and stressful, but she is a fighter and rather determined to do it her own way.
I remember years ago when she was puppy, I was reading up on the breed to learn what I had just gotten myself into. It was called a "discernible determination"... meaning tenacious. She will try to do something, you will say No, she will try to do the same thing a different way, for you did not tell her she couldn't do it the new way. You had to be very specific, for they were very smart, and she has proven to be that. Nothing is ever approached the same way twice in this house and I feel as if even now 10 years later I am still in training.
We are in week 4 of treatment and she has confounded the Oncologist each time. He is surprised how well she does, how she bounces back after a set back and how strong she is. I told him "by the time this is all over you will be writing a book, for this dog will make history." He says it is due to my love for her, my understanding and care, my diligence to be her voice in these moments. But there is more.
I know we are in the Honeymoon phase with Cancer, we have just met, been involved a short time and every day is still so precious and new. The hard times, the trying times, the ones where you feel the end is so far off, those days are to come I am sure. I just hope that the strong love & relationship that Maggie and I already have will guide us through the path we are to travel. We are at the end of the beginning, when you are becoming familiar with the routine of doctors, sickness (which we have not seen), and recovery days.
We are passing 1000 kilometers of our 5000 kilometer journey, we eagerly travel to the middle of our journey, though some doubt sets in, we still push on for we can do this, our determination and drive are still fresh and strong. I know the past few weeks have been worth all that we shall go through, no matter what the end is to be, for I have had my puppy back, the one that greets me at the door with a tennis ball, demands I pay attention to her and loves to rest her head in my lap after a day of running in the woods.... Though we have only made it up to walking around the big circle, the woods are not far beyond.
Beyond all that surround yourself each day with good people, happy people, people that have strong understandings and resolutions in who they are, what they believe. I try to maintain that each day, to be around the positive people, only due to situations, I can not leave just yet, I have to be around those that are not like this. Perhaps that is my mission to be the one that encourages them to be good, happy, strong... Or perhaps this is a test of my faith to maintain my determination. Either way as much as I want to complain about them and vent my frustrations, I find myself writing about how to understand, be patient and figure out how to walk with Jesus in these moments.
Miss Maggie is doing WONDERFUL!!! She is surprising everyone, which really is not a surprise if you know Maggie. IRWS's do everything at 110%, so our ups will be amazing, our downs will be dramatic and stressful, but she is a fighter and rather determined to do it her own way.
I remember years ago when she was puppy, I was reading up on the breed to learn what I had just gotten myself into. It was called a "discernible determination"... meaning tenacious. She will try to do something, you will say No, she will try to do the same thing a different way, for you did not tell her she couldn't do it the new way. You had to be very specific, for they were very smart, and she has proven to be that. Nothing is ever approached the same way twice in this house and I feel as if even now 10 years later I am still in training.
We are in week 4 of treatment and she has confounded the Oncologist each time. He is surprised how well she does, how she bounces back after a set back and how strong she is. I told him "by the time this is all over you will be writing a book, for this dog will make history." He says it is due to my love for her, my understanding and care, my diligence to be her voice in these moments. But there is more.
I know we are in the Honeymoon phase with Cancer, we have just met, been involved a short time and every day is still so precious and new. The hard times, the trying times, the ones where you feel the end is so far off, those days are to come I am sure. I just hope that the strong love & relationship that Maggie and I already have will guide us through the path we are to travel. We are at the end of the beginning, when you are becoming familiar with the routine of doctors, sickness (which we have not seen), and recovery days.
We are passing 1000 kilometers of our 5000 kilometer journey, we eagerly travel to the middle of our journey, though some doubt sets in, we still push on for we can do this, our determination and drive are still fresh and strong. I know the past few weeks have been worth all that we shall go through, no matter what the end is to be, for I have had my puppy back, the one that greets me at the door with a tennis ball, demands I pay attention to her and loves to rest her head in my lap after a day of running in the woods.... Though we have only made it up to walking around the big circle, the woods are not far beyond.
Beyond all that surround yourself each day with good people, happy people, people that have strong understandings and resolutions in who they are, what they believe. I try to maintain that each day, to be around the positive people, only due to situations, I can not leave just yet, I have to be around those that are not like this. Perhaps that is my mission to be the one that encourages them to be good, happy, strong... Or perhaps this is a test of my faith to maintain my determination. Either way as much as I want to complain about them and vent my frustrations, I find myself writing about how to understand, be patient and figure out how to walk with Jesus in these moments.
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