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Today is my birthday

12/30/2020

Today is my birthday. Last year I celebrated with family and a few friends at the Wayside Inn. Today I am celebrating at home with my husband. I cherish last year in a special way because a month later Covid was upon us. What a difference a year makes!
Today I feel immensely satisfied. It helps that all my birthdays have been joyful. It helps that I had loving parents who wanted me. It helps that my family is healthy, safe and coping well during these pandemic times. It helps that I have food on the table and a warm house to sleep in.
Today I am glad that my birthday celebration will be simple—simply one of gratitude. I don’t want anything; I don’t need anything. In fact, gifts, chattels, more ‘stuff’, detracts from the gratitude. I have more than enough while some have so little, and too many have nothing.

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Deepening during Covid

12/26/2020

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As the year comes to a close, I find myself considering the benefits of this Covid year for me. It is all about deepening, and for that I am very grateful.
• Deepening silence, solitude, and simplicity times.
• Deepening friendships.
• Deepening faith.
• Deepening gratitude.
• Deepening awareness that it’s all about love.

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It's the car, Stupid!

12/16/2020

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During these Covid times, we solitudes are being asked to live into what we proclaim—that we love silence, solitude, and simplicity and sometimes like to be alone.  I, for one, love the solitude I’ve been forced to experience recently. It doesn’t escape my notice, however, that having a car makes this easy to embrace because it offers me choice. I have the excuse to hop in the car and, with mask on, whip into the store for a quart of milk.
    I have a widowed friend who makes it her practice to get out every day, sometimes for a walk, but usually out in the car. Another friend, who also lives alone, doesn’t have a car. She can walk into town, but is at the mercy of family, who are self-isolating, to leave her groceries on the back porch. No car choice!
     It’s the car, Stupid!  Remember that phrase? * The  original word was ‘economy’ but we can substitute our own. When we have easy access to a car, we can love our solitude, because, and this is a big because, we have the choice to get away from it for a while.

*Coined by James Carville

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Weekly routine during Covid times

12/8/2020

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My mom's weekly calendar.

During these Covid times, how do we solitude-seeking-folks  organize our weeks?  I’ve always liked a rhythm, which of course has changed over the years. When I was teaching, the weekly routine was easy; into the classroom I’d go every day--being sick was never worth it, as every teacher knows. Weekends were spent with family and preparing for the next week in the classroom.
    After I retired I developed other busy, weekly routines. Now with Covid, my days have embraced a comfortable rhythm of silence, solitude, and simplicity, which I’m hoping won’t change after we all get vaccinated and are out and about again. In fact, at my age, I don’t want to be out and about very much, although I’d jump at the chance to go to a restaurant or visit a museum with a friend.

At the moment, here’s my simple weekly routine.

Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, at home with no regular social plans. I try to keep the days free for me to choose everything I do.
Tuesday, lunch at a friend’s house (we have created a tiny bubble); volunteer at a food pantry, providing groceries to seniors; and then grocery shopping on my way home.

Friday, a day with friends; chatting with my sister and others, Zooming with teachers and others; walking with friends.

Saturday, a day at home with my husband
Sunday, a church day. As best I can, I treat it as a Sabbath Day. Sometimes a chat with a friend.

That‘s the week; a simple routine, with plenty of times for silence and solitude.

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Todays' solitary walk

12/3/2020

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Solitude works best for me during these Covid times if I can get out for a walk. If there comes a time when my knee, or some other impairment gets in my way, I’ll have to make serious psychological adjustments. But for now, nothing is in my way, including the weather. When the snow comes and the walkway is icy and treacherous, I can drive up the to Our Lady of Fatima parking lot and walk on the back roads.
Today, however, here I am with a clear sky above me.

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Oliver Herford

12/2/2020

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Betsy Thompson

I heard a bird sing
   In the dark of December
A magical thing
   And sweet to remember.
“We are nearer to Spring
   Than we were in September,”
I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December

by Oliver Herford

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Today is my birthday

Deepening during Covid

It's the car, Stupid!

Weekly routine during Covid times

Todays' solitary walk

Oliver Herford

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