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| A peaceful sunrise at Daytona Beach from my camera in 2022 |
This week's writing prompts from Joyce led my thoughts to pondering lessons learned, reasons to be grateful, and acknowledging the benefits of adversity. If you want to link up with your own responses to the questions, click here.
1. What's something you enjoy now that your younger self would never have appreciated? .I've learned to be at peace with patience, which I define as "choosing to wait instead of fretting." Patience is a choice.
2. What was peaceful about today? .The retired life is, for me, relatively peaceful most of the time. Oh, there are the appointments for doctors and dentists, car maintenance, unsavory TV news, and life-threatening traffic (all of which are players for us this week).
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| Ford dealership comes to our home for oil change and other services |
To answer the question as to what has been peaceful about today: coming indoors to air conditioning after our daily bike ride, preparing a quiche for lunch and watching my husband get a second helping, and just in general deliberately focusing on the everyday blessings that can disappear at any time for all kinds of reasons.
3. It's National Blueberry Day (July 8). Will you celebrate? You can have one of the following right now-a slice of blueberry pie, a warm blueberry muffin, or a stack of blueberry pancakes...which do you choose? I would not refuse any of these options, but I do like fresh blueberries in pancakes.
This or that-blueberries or raspberries? blueberries or strawberries?
.Any of the above. . . . . maybe blueberries the most??? But with that said, the blueberries need to be fresh (No! to the canned ones that come in boxed muffin mixes)
4. Do you need a break? . Yes. From what? .The heat. I KNOW I'm not alone with that feeling. It's been a hot summer in so many places, including Great Britain and Europe, not just here in Florida.
5. What has surprised you most about getting older? .Relationships -- the ones that have lasted and the ones that have not. I'm realizing this is just life and not really unusual nor necessarily a bad thing.
6. Insert your own random thought here. .All 3 of my children have birthdays in June-July. Now fully grown with families of their own, each one of them is employed with the desire of their heart ("What do you want to be when you grow up?").
One is an international aviation pilot, one is a free lance graphic artist, and one is in the entertainment industry. I am pleased with their achievements.
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| learning life skills 1978 |
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| family hike in Colorado Rocky Mountains 1982 |
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10 comments:
I enjoyed your answers, Barbara. And I agree with you on the blueberries (and not the canned ones in muffin mixes!)!! Patience and peace - yes. Happy Wednesday!! xo
The retired life does sound lovely and the air conditioning too! It's hot here today and air con isn't a thing here. I could do with a break from the heat too! Well done to your children, it sounds like they have done well for themselves.
I know I'm grateful for a.c. Friends visiting Europe have struggled with the heat, mostly at night trying to sleep. I think we can cope okay with it during the day. It's gratifying to know our children are doing what they love. It was fun to meet Terri, although it was a quick visit. Next time we'll meet in the middle and you can join us!
I enjoyed reading your replies to the questions, Barbara, especially about relationships. I've always believed that we have relationships and friends that tide us through different chapters of our lives. I've recently made a couple of new friends who are just wonderful at this point in my life. Our children truly are a blessing and it's one of a parent's greatest honors to see them grown and living happily as adults, practicing kindness and compassion for others. Wishing you cooler days--it's been a tough summer even up here in Pennsylvania!
The relationship thoughts resonate here. We really do learn a lot raising children. I hope things cool down for you and the rest of the East coast. We are having our hottest day today. Now I'm singing 'Have Patience' by Psalty...
Enjoyed your answers. I agree with the relationships part, though I feel like more have ended than began, but i'm kind of okay with that. Friendships are interesting.
Thank you for often mentioning Christian Scripture in your posts.
God bless you always.
Every single day is a death-defying act of staying alive in this traffic we have. I can tell you, when I was growing up, it was never like this, Barbara. Out there where you live, it was all beautiful countryside and 2 lanes, just a lovely slow leisurely drive. Wishing you a beautiful day, stay cool. smiles.
Escaping into the air conditioning after a hot bike ride is the ultimate reward during this brutal summer weather. Your take on children being a form of "continuing education" for parents is brilliant; it completely reframes the chaotic, challenging moments of raising a family. Seeing your husband grab a second helping of that homemade quiche is such a sweet everyday joy. You definitely made the right call with the fresh blueberries over the canned box-mix stuff too. It must be incredibly rewarding watching your three grown kids thrive in their dream careers after all those years of lessons learned.
I too need a break from the heat. We are heading to the beach today and I hope the water is COLD!!!
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