'YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME' - from Disney's 'Toy Story'

'I value a friend who for me finds time on his calendar;
but I cherish a friend who does not consult his calendar' - Robert Bault

A CALENDAR IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT

Let me guess, when you see this title you probably will think... 'so what's so special about a calendar?' Well, hold on to conclusions forming in your mind or that half smile which actually is still a smile, only lopsided, but still a smile :-) ... and read on.

Here we go.

My calendar is made up of twelve months and all the weeks that make up a month, and all the days that make up a week and all the hours that make up a day and lastly but not the least all the minutes that make up an hour.

My calendar is on nice shiny smooth paper each page covering a month. On each page are small boxes which indicate each day of the week. These boxes are lined just like your grade school paper of long ago. And the space in each box can hold a short sentence or two.. or maybe a phrase. Sundays are highlighted in red.

I write on my calendar each day, each week, each month (now it's August)... writing in short staccato notes the highlights of the day. Also would draw a Smiley Sun to indicate happiness delight satisfaction or pleasure. And a Sad Sun for the opposites.

For instance, at the start of the month my youngest daughter in her new job flew to Kuala Lumpur for a conference meeting with her boss. Smiley sun. And Friday's food tasting at the residence of Kaye by Cunanan Catering. The official caterer for Christine's wedding in October. Yummy yummy dishes!! A sated satisfied pleased smiley sun. Then the Saturday that my three daughters received the Catholic rites of the Sacrament of Confirmation followed by dinner with their godfather at a nice resto. (Such fun). Blessed smiley sun. But oh the Wednesday that Pat, the street cat, died of sudden illness, not even the vet could save him. He was our adopted unofficial household cat; although he couldn't come into the house cos the dogs won't let him. Sad sad sun. And the day that the garbage truck collected the community's garbage. (You can count the times they come collecting with just one finger. Yeah! But they showed up that day.) Smiley sun still. Thursday we had Miko the cat (Persian-Siamese) vaccinated at the vet. (Oh he was a brave darling with the needle.) Amused smiley sun. And today I got back my groove on the morning walks I used to do. Weather much improved now, no intermittent rains, no rain puddles on the street, and the sun shining brilliantly like it does in summer. Felt great! Huge satisfied very pleased smiley sun.

The month isn't over yet. But each time I look at the calendar I see that I have smiled a lot more often than I didn't. The Smiley Suns tell me that. Also am reminded that blessings come -- they always do. Just keep an open mind and heart to see it. Be always grateful for the watchful and loving heart of a magnificent God. Also as I review the days of my calendar.. I begin to understand that life is a mix of happy and sad but both necessary to flavor the soup of life.

So you see, a calendar is not just a calendar -- it's what you make of it. -- Your life.

CURIOSITY GIVE MEANING AND SAVOR TO LIFE

Robertson Davis has this to say..... "Although there may be nothing new under the sun, what is old is new to us and so rich and astonishing that we never tire of it. If we do tire of it, if we lose our curiosity, we have lost something of infinite value, because to a high degree it is curiosity that gives meaning and savor to life."

Yeah, I agree. It's a big wide world out there and there's so much awe and wonder in it. CURIOSITY does and will unlock those doors to us. But how many truly use that key??

The picture above personifies some of us who simply sit back and watch the world go by. Despite the presence of lush beauty or wonder right there before our eyes, better yet surrounding us .... we still don't take notice. But if we use our 'long forgotten' ability to be curious of the world around us, we would then discover how wonderful this world of ours is. And that there is so much yet to uncover, discover, unveil. Unless we let ourselves be moved by curiosity... it won't reveal itself to us nor will we find or see it. But it's there.

YOU AND YOUR PERCEPTIONS

Claudia Black said this >> "Trust in yourself. Your perceptions are often far more accurate than you are willing to believe."

--- Perceptions about people come from keen observation and insight on those who travel to your own sphere and space. You get a lot of practice because many are sent by God to you for your good learning. You can get better at it from person to person to person. Learn well. It can help you sift through the pebbles to get to the grain.. or something like that.

YOUR HEART AS YOUR PEN

When you want to write about 'rain', stay in and under the rain - not sheltered under a roof or an umbrella. When you want to write about a sunset, go look at one and feel the joy of watching beauty and magnificence at its best.

That's so much about writing -- write what you know, feel, and understand and express it with truth honesty and simplicity. These things dwell in the heart. Write with your heart as your pen.

MANNERS DEFINE A PERSON

Manners. That's the secret to harmonious living. I'd rather be with a poor uneducated person who knows his manners...

rather than be with one so rich and graduated from the best schools but who does not mind his manners... nor know what that means.

BEAUTIFUL WORDS FROM A STRANGER

I would have narrated what transpired in full but decided not to. Because I want to direct your attention to what this wonderful old lady said. Her words kept ringing in my ears long after she had gone and I was back home in the house.

Well, I sat at one of the chairs lining the wall opposite the receiving counter. We were inside the parish office of this particular church. My daughter was talking with the clerk in charge of records when a heavy pleasant looking lady came in and approached the same counter wanting to buy a mass card for her dear departed. She was attended to by another clerk while all the time through the process she was carrying on a monologue about parents and children. It seemed like a monologue to me because I noticed that the employee simply did nothing but smile.

But I liked what she said although I didn't know what prompted the nice lady to speak on the subject as I heard no questions asked of her by anyone in the room. Anyway here's what she said.

To quote:

"I tell my children to make the most of time spent with me. I tell them to buy me the prettiest of flowers, take me to the nicest places, treat me to the best dishes, and see me everyday. Everyday. I tell them to make everyday special while they can and while I am here able to enjoy it all.

They should not wait for later or tomorrow or next month. They should not leave me to the maids to care for my needs or when I am sick. They should not buy me things to silence or entertain me because they are too busy to ever give me their time. They should call me on the phone or write me letters or text me --- they should talk to me. They should ask about me at every chance they get. Find out if I am well or not, have eaten or not, happy or not, or ask me if I want some ice cream or 'chicharon bulaklak'! (a local delicacy) Or maybe want to take a nice long walk in the park. It feels so good when they see me as a person and not as a figure close to extinction.

I don't need flowers when I'm gone; I want them all now. Now where I can smell it, appreciate it, hold it in my hand, kiss its smooth petals, put it in a vase so that I can gaze at it all day. I want those flowers now offered with their hands because it is now that I want to feel their love, see their smiles, enjoy their presence, and relish the idea of being treasured and adored and made to feel that I exist wonderfully in their lives -- all that and more as it warms every beat of my aging heart.

Don't bring me flowers when I'm gone -- I don't need it. Bring me flowers today --- I want it."


Her name? Letty. An amazing lady! She meant to impress on her listener, the clerk, (apparently an unwilling listener lols) that the aging of a member of the family should not be an excuse to break down the family unit in pockets of isolation. The family should always stand connected with one another, supportive with one another -- all these and more in the midst of the pressures of our modern world.


And because life is short...
she meant to say that we with our families should TREASURE ONE ANOTHER WHILE WE MAY. And why she said -- "Don't bring me flowers when I'm gone. Bring me flowers TODAY."


I am hoping that she will be understood in that light. She's one amazing and remarkable lady, no matter that I've just met her and in such a brief and yet precious encounter. Beautiful words from a stranger!

PERHAPS LOVE -- by John Denver

My hour of music. And none could be as pleasant as listening to the music of John Denver. This lovely song holds a special place in my heart....... beautiful soft gentle soothing melody, exquisite lyrics, and wonderfully sung by John Denver, singer-composer.