Making It Last

"There will come a time when you believe

everything is finished. That will be

the beginning."

Louis L'Amour

Saturday at last! After a day of actually accomplishing something (To those who understand, my past due tasks are down to two!!) and a late night of "piddling," I woke up around 4:30 am with the worst case of heartburn I've ever had. Thankfully, one Tums tablet did the trick, and I drifted back into sleep until I was awakened at 9:30 am by the phone. I actually slept in! After talking to my friend, I deliberated about whether to keep my lazy butt in bed or muster the "want to" to drag myself up and "at um" as mama used to say. I chose the latter.

For the past several months I have found it difficult to want to do anything except stay home and piddle on Saturdays and my day off on Wednesday.  My friends have claimed a place on my calendar for "play time," as they call it, for every other Wednesday. Quite honestly I look forward to it. Sharing time with friends and family is more important than doing the mundane tasks of dusting or vacuuming. This week I was reminded about how quickly time passes. It is truly becoming a "blink"  as the years go by.

I used to drive to Santa Fe almost every Saturday; it became a given for the weekends. But, this year, especially since March, I haven't had the energy to pursue any of my plans for the year, to include blogging. I think I must be caught up in one of my quagmires! Being "stuck" is not a pleasant place to be in mind or body, but I thank God, because he sends someone along to pull me out back into the land of the living. You may recall that my friend gave me an "adult" coloring book, three in fact, to occupy my mind and relieve stress. Or so she said! Actually I believe she thinks I am regressing back into childhood, but I never really left my childhood, so the joke is on her! 

The people who visit me are always intrigued that I still have my little Christmas tree up. In fact it has been up since 2012 when my daddy went home to Jesus. In earlier days in the South when a person died the clock was stopped at the time of death. Whereas I am not certain of the superstition behind that or if it even applies in my situation, my tree is a memory tree, and I keep it up because I can do whatever I want to in my home. Besides which isn't Christmas supposed to be celebrated daily as is Easter? 

I have many "treasures" in my home, not of earthly value, but reminders of times and events and special friends and loved ones. When you walk into my home the first thing you see, besides my bicycle parked at the side of the door, is my huge plush grizzly carefully guarding the entrance. If you happen to walk in too loudly you will be greeted by the sound of a annoying singing cat that is sitting on the coffee table guarding the window, another gift from my Wednesday play pal! Yes, I know I am a bit "out there" and ready for the rubber room, but these are important memories. When I was leading Bible study in my home my friends had to take the plush friends off the sofa or rocking chair to have a place to sit! But everything has a story, and I love a story told well! At best it is a great icebreaker!

I'm a dreamer, so everything I do has some relevance to living out the dream. When I saw my friends this past Wednesday I told one that I brought "strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff." Remember the lyrics from "Puff the Magic Dragon?" 

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.

Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail
Jackie kept a lookout perched on puffs gigantic tail,
Noble kings and princes would bow whene'r they came,
Pirate ships would lower their flag when puff roared out his name. oh!

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.

Dragons live forever but not so little boys
Painted wings and giant strings make way for other toys.
One sad night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
And Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.

His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his life-long friend, puff could not be brave,
So puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave. oh!

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.

This song shares the message of life... it is transient, so we make the most of the time we are given.

Being dauntless, I prefer to think of myself as Peter Pan, and whereas  the mirror definitely tells me I have grown up, mentally I still believe in living my life day by day rather than worrying about what tomorrow "may" bring. I call it my "happy place," and I am fighting very hard not to have anyone steal my peace. My office has canvas paintings of Snoopy and Woodstock, Elsa from Frozen, and many other playful scenes and messages, because this is the place I spend the majority of my day facing difficult realities. So, I need positive reminders to reinforce my "happy place" as I deal with a complex caseload and serious realities. Real life situations need Peter Pans, don't you think? 

As I "fly" through my Saturday I do so on the wings of prayer and thanksgiving for the life God has given me to share. I love seeing people smile, even if it is their last smile before parting this world. At least I know I have left an impression, a lasting one they can take with them into their next life.