The glory of friendship is not
the outstretched hand,
nor the kindly smile, nor the
joy of companionship ~
it is the spiritual inspiration
that comes to one
when you discover that someone else believes
in you
and is willing to trust you
with a friendship.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
My home is a cosy apartment along
a residential street. Unseen to the
public, is a spacious, private park-like retreat behind our complex to where we
residents can quietly and socially escape.
There are over a dozen tall deciduous trees, 3 or 4 lofty spruce
towering well above our 3-story edifice plus a wall of mature cedars along
the property lines. Access
to this place of serenity is through the double Common Room doors.
The broad winding concrete
walkways are ideal for persons with 'walkers' or canes. There are park benches and flowered areas that
bloom throughout the summer. For those with a “green thumb”, are separate
gardens where they may grow vegetables/and or flowers. Each spring a truck-load of loam is delivered
for them to use. Late Spring to early
Autumn provide us opportunities for social gatherings...plenty of chairs and
umbrella-ed tables. The featured events may be BBQ meats and salads...even “Pot
Luck”. Any gathering may have a theme:
Hawaiian, Country or Beach Wear is requested to be worn and the tables
are decorated accordingly.
Social activities are arranged
for everyone in our complex to participate in.
Special dinners throughout the year (prepared on site in our kitchen…Christmas,
Hallowe’en, summer BBQ). One afternoon a
group of ladies play scrabble; another afternoon is tea and coffee with
accompanying sweets whereby a few residents bring crafts, books or cards to
play and chat for a pleasant hour or two.
Nearby, St. Raphael’s Church offers Bridge and Euchre on a Monday
afternoon; we are all welcome to attend any of the other church activities.
This morning, I retreated to ‘our
park’ to enjoy the fresh Spring air, Nature's quiet and conversation with a
Senior gentleman tending his patio garden.
Since time was not of great essence, I selected a park bench, donned my
sunglasses and became immersed with the activities of squirrels and birds.
New leaves have recently sprung…easy
to observe the squirrels' winter nests high up in the branches of deciduous
trees. A couple squirrels were
scampering around on the ground and checking patios for give-away-food,
fortunately, finding none. A couple birds captured my interest as they tweeted
back and forth...they flew from tree to tree as if one invited the other to
follow...then with dashing flights to meet in the thickness of the green cedars. Mother Rabbit
was around with 3 or 4 frisky young ones.
The golden sun was piercing the
silvery-edged clouds as they amassed, slowly drifting in the hazy sky.
A poet could write...an artist
could paint...a philosopher could ponder and muse. It was a haven to me to
spiritually assess, to unite with the “gifts of Nature” and to be inspired by
certain people around me and the full environment in which I live.
Simple Things
(the following from a
novel by Fern Michaels...Dear Emily)
After her 30th
Birthday, Emily decided there was no such thing as Pure Happiness in
marriage. There was, she told herself, fulfillment and even contentment. Either you accepted it or rejected it, which
was just another way of saying, “You went with the flow!”...an expression she'd
heard on TV.
Emily, speaking with Father
Anthony, of the Black Mountain Retreat in the Great Smokey Mountains, stated,
“I may be in need of some spiritual guidance. What does one do when one reaches
one's goals in life and in business? Do
you set new ones? Do you mark time? I am
not happy, nor am I unhappy. It just
seems that there should be more...of what?
I don't know. Am I being selfish,
wanting more?”
Father Anthony replied, “Peace
and Happiness comes from within. If you had a wish, just one wish, for what would
you wish? It could be as simple as going
away for a while ~ getting a new perspective!
The mountains here are breathtaking...streams are crystal clear...the
walking trails are scented from heaven. This place is a coming-together of
strangers ~ sharing and looking at your inner self ~ but only if you want to explore that avenue. It's a plain, simple life.”
“Father, how will I know when
I've reached that place of contentment and inner peace?”
He replied, “When you wake in the
morning and you feel like singing...when you hate going to bed because there's
more to do...or when you forget to eat because there's something more important
to accomplish...when watching a sunrise gives you pleasure and you can't wait
to see another! Simple Things ~ a
flower, a bird soaring in the sky...smiling for no reason! Live life to the fullest because we don't
know what tomorrow will bring. You
converse with God, Nature and Yourself.
Here, in this tranquil place, you can't fool anyone...last of all
Yourself!”
What a
Wonderful World
(Lyrics as sung by
Louis Armstrong)
I see trees of
green, red roses too,
I see them bloom
for me and you.
And I think to
myself,
What a wonderful
world!
I see skies of
blue and clouds of white;
The bright blessed
day, the dark sacred night.
And I think to
myself,
What a wonderful
world!
The colours of the
rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the
faces of people going by.
I see friends
shaking hands, saying, “How do you do?”
They're really
saying, “I love you.”
I hear babies cry,
I watch them grow.
They'll learn much
more than I'll ever know.
And I think to
myself,
What a wonderful
world!
Oh, Yeah.
Think I’ll slip downstairs for a cuppa hot
tea in the Common Room…
take a crocheted craft newly finished
and play this card game ‘Skip-Bo” (believe
that’s what it’s called).
Merle
Baird-Kerr...written May 8, 2014
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