Broncos vs Seattle Sea Hawks

Wow, 24 days since I entered something on my blog. Where DOES the time go?

Had a fantastic time last weekend with my friend Cheryl who I have known over 30 years. She lives across the state in Grand Junction, and unfortunately we don't get together as often as we'd like. Cheryl and Jim have season tickets for the Bronco games, and I was invited to go with her to see the Broncos play the Seattle Sea Hawks last Sunday. We stayed at the Sheraton on the west side of Denver and were able to hop on a bus across from the hotel that drove us right to the front gate of Mile High Stadium. (I will NEVER get use to calling it Invesco Field. Totally dumb name!)

Anyway, I guess I had forgotten the amazing excitement and energy that can overcome you when you become part of a crowd of 75,000 individuals all cheering on the home team. And there is SO much more to see when you're in the stadium. I can get very bored watching the game at home with all those ridiculous commercials and half-time commentators who just love to hear the sound of their own voices. Personally, I'd rather be watching the half-time show than listening to them recap every play of the game!

It was an extraordinary weekend with a forever friend. And, naturally, it's always a plus when you walk away the winner!

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."  Henri Nouwen

Friendship

"Much of the vitality in a friendship lies in the honoring of differences, not simply in the enjoyment of similarities." 

We had a book club, my friends and I. Often our time together became one of sharing the mundane and the unusual in our daily lives while the book discussion was relegated to the end of the evening. But that was Ok with this beautiful diverse group of women. It wasn't so much the intensity of our conversations that built such a strong bond between us, but rather the honoring of each others' soul. 

Pat Russell (holding the pumpkin) was in the fight of her life on this evening several years ago. For 5 years she was in constant treatment for cancer - but always living life to the fullest, smiling through the pain, and sharing with us her gift of wisdom. She died bravely and left an incredible emptiness in our hearts for a very long time. I think of this faith-filled woman often these days, remembering how she walked lightly on this earth, treating everyone she encountered with love and reverence. I hope I can leave behind such a legacy.

"True friends are never forgotten. They live within our hearts and souls forever, and always dancing on our stage of memories."

Balloon Lady

I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.  

- Laura Ingalls Wilder

 

Every Tuesday afternoon for the past 12 years, my friend JoAnn and I have been meeting with the elderly Benedictine Sisters in the infirmary at Benet Hill Monastery. We bring them a home-made dessert (which we take turns making) and spend an hour with them in fellowship and conversation. We call it our Tuesday Tea Party - even tho no one drinks tea! We always think of a question to tweak their memories and get them conversing about the past. It's been an unexpected blessing for us as they share their wisdom and memories.

When we first began doing this, JoAnn and I were working at the Monastery. We are both retired now, but they enjoyed it so much that we decided to continue. So every Tuesday afternoon, the two of us meet for lunch and make the 50 minute drive to the Monastery for our Tuesday Tea Party. This is where the balloon lady comes into the picture.

It was yesterday - Tuesday - and we were eating lunch at Chick Fil A before heading up to meet with the Sisters. From our booth, I noticed this woman making these balloon animals for all the young children in the restaurant. I watched their faces light up with big smiles as she twisted and turned those ordinary colorful balloons into works of art. When she passed by our booth, I asked if she would mind making one for me to bring to the Sisters. It's silly little things like this that also light up the faces of us "older" folks, so I knew I could find it a good home. And I did! Meet Sister Ernestine who is now the proud owner of her very own balloon-doggie.