30. Connecting People with Good Books

Activities, Books, Things 0

I was just reminding myself of bright spots in my day — and remembered a huge blessing.  A woman walked up to me at the information desk and asked me for recommendations for something to read next.  My favorite question!  And it sounded like we have fairly similar taste.  It was very fun to get to give her recommendations.  I suggested a wide variety, with such titles as Daughter of the Forest, by Juliet Marillier, The Marriage Bureau for Rich People, by Farahad Zama, and Q & A, by Vikas Swarup.  It was a joy just to get to talk about good books.

29. An Abundance of Books

Things 0

This is such an obvious one!  And I don’t think I’ve mentioned it yet.

I have an overflowing abundance of books in my life — both books I own and books I can borrow from the library, my workplace.

And one of my very favorite things to do is read!

So this is a wonderful combination!

In fact, “So many books, so little time…” is my perpetual cry.  I have more books, simply checked out, than I can possibly get read.  Don’t even think about the books I own.  (And I usually only buy a book if I really want to read it.)

But this is a wonderful problem to have.  My cup runneth over.

27. My Own Personal Retreat Center

Spiritual Blessings, Things 0

Balcony

I’ve had some trouble with the Empty Nest Blues lately.  And the truth is, though it’s ticked off by my son starting his last semester of college, it’s exacerbated by the fact that I live alone.  I had always thought this would be something my husband and I would face together.  So it makes the pain of the divorce fresh.

But the other day I started reading Thomas Merton’s New Seeds of Contemplation, and another book I started reading reminded me of how I’ve heard of people who take a personal retreat and spend time at a monastery — and I’ve always thought that would be a wonderful thing to do.

But then it occurred to me — I’ve got a Personal Retreat Center right where I live!  I’ve got a lake view, a path by the lake to walk, a balcony, a library of books around me, music of my choice, and all the solitude I could possibly want.  If such a place had been available to me when I was a busy mother of little ones, I would have fainted with thankfulness!

It also reminds me of I Corinthians 7.  A married woman or man spends time and energy trying to please her or his spouse.  An unmarried woman can focus on trying to please the Lord.

I do want to find a partner who wants to please the Lord.  But it’s better to be single than to be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t.

And meanwhile, it helps my attitude to realize what a wonderful opportunity I’ve been given for all the prayer and contemplation and reading and writing I could possibly want to do.

Who knows, maybe that reflection will help me keep from spending too much time playing mindless computer games!

26. Grown Kids

Events, Family 0

Today I represented the library at a Back to School Fair at a middle school.

And while I really enjoyed the middle school kids with their excitement and energy, and while I really enjoyed my own kids when they were in middle school — I was struck by how glad I am that I am no longer the Mom of middle school or high school kids!

This is a nice realization — lately, with my youngest starting his very last semester of college, I’ve had a little trouble with the Empty Nest Blues.

But I was reminded of all the stress of middle school — meeting all the various teachers, buying supplies, this, that, and the other detail to worry about….

Yes, I got through it, and I do look back on those years fondly.

But we are done with that!  That season of life is over, and now I can smile fondly on those still going through it and tell them about all the ways the library can help them.

There are some lovely things about this phase of life, and this was a nice reminder.

25. The Great Blue Heron

Nature 0

Heron1

I already was thankful for my lake.  Part of what I love about my lake is that at least one great blue heron likes to hang out there.

I say “at least one” because there were at least two times when I saw one heron at one end of the lake and one heron at the other.  Usually there’s only one at a time, and I like to pretend it’s the same one, but I’m not observant enough to be sure.

When I first looked at the house, my realtor liked to run on the trail by this lake.  She told me an egret lived at the lake and told me a touching story that egrets mate for life and if the mate dies, they will continue to nest where they were last together with their partner.

Heron2

Well, I’ve looked it up since then, and that story is bogus.  Great blue herons do not mate for life.  But the fact is, herons and egrets do like to hang out at this lake, and it never ceases to give me a thrill.  In fact, when I go too long without seeing one, I start going through heron withdrawal.

So last Friday on my day off, when I went for my usual walk and saw the heron posing on the wall by the fountains, I turned right around and went back for my good camera.

Heron3

 

So, the romantic story may be bogus.  But I still feel completely blessed by my lake and the birds who enjoy it.

Heron4

24. Family Math Games

Activities, Events 0

MathGames3

Today we had the “Family Math Games” program at the library again.  (The pictures are from a previous month, but it’s the same idea.)  I’ve got lots of board games and card games that build math skills, and the only requirement is that parents play with their kids.

Today 40 people came.  We had families with all different age levels representing, playing all different difficulty levels of games.  We had small children playing the easiest matching games and we had a family playing Splendor, one of my own personal favorite games.  We had many different ethnicities represented and a nice representation from each gender.

And people were having a wonderful time together.  And kids were learning.  And parents were playfully teaching their kids.

The library’s games collection started with games my kids have outgrown, but our Friends group paid for additional math-related games.  I’m also happy that these games are still getting used and still helping families have fun.

It did my heart good to see it.  I’m so happy about bringing this program to our community.

MathGames2

23. My Lake

Activities, Spiritual Blessings, Things 0

Lake4

 

In April 2013, I moved into a condo overlooking a lake.  And when I say overlooking, walls on two sides are filled with big windows through which you can see the lake.

It’s not a big lake.  When I walk to the other side and back, I travel a little over a mile.  But it’s lovely.  The wildflowers growing by it change by the week.  I regularly see birds and bunnies when I walk by and have also seen squirrels, deer, and foxes.

And those birds!  I never get tired of seeing a great blue heron who likes to hang out here.  (More on that later!)  But I also see great egrets, goldfinches, cardinals, red-winged blackbirds, woodpeckers, robins, mallards, Canada geese, and other interesting or seemingly ordinary birds.

What’s more, the lake gave me back my health!  In August 2011 I had a stroke.  I had the stroke because of an accident, not from lack of fitness — but the stroke itself destroyed my fitness level.

When I moved into this condo, the lake was so enticing, I was able to get myself to walk around it regularly.  I had never in all my life done a regular exercise program before.  I feel much more fit than I was after the stroke and before I started walking.

My lake is a daily blessing I’m so thankful for.

Lake3

22. Toddlers

Activities, Events 0

Today I did a small storytime for toddlers.

The world is a better place because toddlers are in it.

Mind you, it’s extra fun to get to interact with toddlers when their own mothers are in the room.  And extra fun to get to read to them.

Sometimes I forget what a blessing my job is.

21. Babies

Events, Spiritual Blessings 0

Today I got to work in the Babies’ class at church.  We had two babies, one for each of us helping.  Okay, one baby wouldn’t stop crying until we finally got Mommy.  And then the baby I was holding started crying.

But she was very happy before that.  I had gotten lots of delighted baby smiles.  And then after some crying, during which I cuddled her, she went to sleep in my arms.

Do you know how long it’s been since a baby went to sleep in my arms?

(I actually don’t know.  But it’s been a long time.)

I’m smiling about it still.