Unseen -

It is my daily goal to do one good turn for a stranger. I often pay for someone's coffee at the hospital cafeteria, give a used gift card with a few dollars left to the next person in line at a restaurant, pull a weed or two from a yard or garden, pick up trash on a walk, compliment someone - my latest favorite was a cashier at the grocery store I frequent - complimented her on her awesome hair style and her cool glasses; she seriously had no words and turned bright pink. When I saw her earlier this week, she remembered.

It really is satisfying to give without any desire for anything in return, yet in giving, I do receive. For instance, yesterday afternoon, I pulled the car into the driveway and there was the cutest 3 year old girl standing on the backdoor step waiting for me, wanting to play with Ronda. So much fun granting her run of the living room while recharging with little girl energy. 

I appreciated this story today, on NPR, about a woman lost and found by a woman who made a pact years ago to reach out (very short read or listen). 

My hospital work keeps me unseen - I don't take patients, or their stuff, home; I seldom share my life, and once they're discharged, I'm on to my next patient - which feeds my need for "carrying less," and this anonymity helps me as I recharge my introvert soul. 

Anyway, my meanderings for the week. Happy Friday - 

Flowers and Weeds - Perspective -

I came home from a day of friend time with a Mister Lincoln brilliant red rose bush, stopping at Sunriver Gardens to purchase this, which happens to be the happiest place on Utah County shopping earth. 

Scott does not like rose bushes. He's made this very apparent over the years, stating his parents had roses, and they grew totally out of control. In his mind, roses are thorny weeds. 

My counter-argument to this was to point out his giant sunflowers he proudly grows every year, come up voluntarily (as well as planted seedlings) and taking up so much garden space. I enjoy watching them grow, yet they're sunflowers, ginormous, taking up too much space and sun. They're pretty, but I wouldn't choose these to dedicate my time to. 

Well, he even helped me plant the rose bush, and I soaked the sunflower seeds for him to plant on Monday.

I walked outside from my office into the hospital yesterday, the landscaping around the courtyard here is beautiful, and yet I couldn't help but notice bright yellow dandelions, throughout the flower bed. My impulse was to kneel down and start digging. And then I saw the purple Creeping Jenny filling in the space between shrubs, and thought how lovely the ground cover is.  

I thought of Chick and Marie Swan, neighbors of ours in Alabama. Marie walked the neighborhood with a dagger attached to the end of  a long stick, digging up every dandelion she saw. She was super-vigilant in her desire to eradicate the neighborhood from dandelions. And yet the tiny purple grape hyacinth that spread right along-side the dandelions were more invasive and ignored. 

I thought of Mr. Lindsay, the USU-trained nursery-man, Brigham City neighbor, who spent his time pulling Creeping Jenny from every ditch-bank and public garden along his morning, afternoon, and evening walks. He said it choked out other plants, and people who bought this to keep erosion down were crazy, it spread too fast and too far. English Ivy was his favorite ground cover, even though it has a reputation of being so spreading. 

I feel fortunate to live in a world of contradiction. Differing opinions, various perspectives, viewpoints that challenge or intrigue, fill my heart. I enjoy listening, learning, understanding, gathering. 

Do differences have to be conflict? Do perspectives have to be challenged? Do viewpoints have to destructive? I say there is room for a variety of thoughts, perspectives, ground cover, flowers, weeds in our lives. Even rose bushes and sunflowers. 

I've cited before, I'll do so again, Anthropologist Wade Davis said, "The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit." 

Here's to peacefully co-existing. 

 

Journeys - Growth -

Talking with several clients this week about experiences and growth - staying behind closed doors, closed curtains, protecting what we have, or opening ourselves, our lives, up to risks, and gains. We talked of all sorts of continuing education - formal classes, experiential - life, travel, and the journeys - physical, emotional, mental, we all go on. Here are some of the quotes we gathered: 

Traveling - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.  ~Ibn Battuta, 14th century Explorer

Travel isn't always pretty. It isn't always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that's okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.  ~Anthony Bourdain

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, "Wow! What a Ride!"  ~Hunter S. Thompson

A favorite of mine - The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit.  ~Wade Davis

A journey is called that because you cannot know what you will discover on that journey. What you will do with what you find, or what you find will do to you.  ~James Baldwin

I've had my share of journeys - moves from one state to the next, from one city to another, from one culture to another; traveling through years of higher education; the journey through marriage, divorce, marriage; cancer to crashes; journeys through building and remodeling houses to negotiating with  the contractor dance; and then travels - from one life to the next, one relationship to another, jobs to careers, and Alaska to Amsterdam, fields of Sweden to fields of Southeastern Idaho. 

And I continue to journey, to change, to enjoy the ride (even if it wasn't the tour I thought I'd signed up for).  

Joni and James and Carole and Carly -

 Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Carole King, Carly Simon - 

All music icons who were coming into their own in the late 60s while I was coming of age -  a young teen, quickly and easily influenced by their poignant and pointed storytelling lyrics, soulful sounds, and their singer-songwriter pure talent with guitar and voice. Plus, my "hippie" older aunt and uncle and cousins were my role models; I listened to what they provided, as well as Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. 

Of any musicians who have heavily influenced my life - it is Joni, James, Carole, and Carly, along with big band music and crooners Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. Parental influence! 

So you an imagine my pure delight when Brandi Carlile introduced Joni Mitchell at the Newport Folk Festival, July 2022. Tears, tears, tears. 

The songs of these greats have not lost their impact. Interesting how their songs are timeless, as timeless as those of the Mamas and Papas; Peter, Paul, and Mary, Pete Seeger, and the Guthries. And their more contemporaries, Nanci Griffith, John Prine, John Hartford, Iris DeMent, Williams, Thompson, and others. 

I am hopeful for the "next" generation of singer-songwriters - those who don't count on the background music to make up for what they can't provide. I am hopeful that Carlile, Batiste, Krauss, can keep the magic that filled my soul for so many decades can do similarly for another young girl, looking for music that speaks her language, speaks to her soul, and gives her room to dream. 

And this last week - so amazingly beautiful, well-worth anyone's time. Long live their music -