I’m sure most of you were awakened in the early hours by the heavy rain coming down, and when I looked out, I said to myself, “I hope this isn’t going to continue too long, or we’re going to have some rivers running down our streets.” As I was heading Downtown early this morning, I noticed some of the creeks were high and running fast with water. I’m glad we did get the rain, because we were sure needing it when seeing how all the drier our soil was growing. I’d say we were getting some “million dollar” heavy mists on and off today, which all plants love the most instead of that pounding rain. Pretty much all our greenery ended up being “mistified” by it all.
With it being Sunday morning, I spent some time in my quiet little corner where I conducted my personal religious meditations. Yes, I’d say I’m growing all the more contemplative, and that’s just fine by me, because I’m convinced it’s more meaningful to me than what most experience in their halls of faith. I’ve also discovered that I’m able to pay better attention because of there not being any glaring lights about, which I’m now reminded of how many our area churches are replacing their dimly-lit hanging lanterns, with bright white lighting which in some, is so glaring, any of those wearing white, appear to be “glowing” a blueish-white. Now I’m not just making it up, because I’ve been at a certain church Service twice, and that’s what I see when scanning the crowd. It’s kinda creepy if you ask me.
When speaking about those hanging lanterns, the fondest of memories come to mind back when I was very young and seated in a church pew with my parents and siblings. We usually went to the earliest of Services, and during the cold months, it would be dark outside, while within, there’d be those softly glowing lanterns which were evenly hung from that church’s gothic ceiling. The combination of that darkened church, those lanterns, and the shadows created, you could “feel” the holiness and reverence encompassing the entirety. Yes, we oft times find our religious preferences having been created at an early age.
Knowing I’d have a free morning while visiting with a dear old client yesterday, he mentioned how he wished he had a few extra hands to help him carry down all the many unwanted boxes of “stuff” from his attic. I told him I had this morning free, and if he wanted my help, I would gladly oblige. After he’d finally accepted the fact that it wouldn’t be the least bit of a bother for me, I agreed to drive over to his home this morning after his breakfast hour.
After I finished my spiritual time alone, I changed my clothes and drove over to his expanded bungalow. Since he likes to visit, I was escorted to his kitchen nook where he’d already had coffee cups placed and his java pot near ready to pour. Thank goodness I didn’t have only a half cup before I got there, because too much morning coffee, gets me overly-wired. We sat there for about a half hour while he proceeded to share all his worries about this pandemic.
Unfortunately, most of our general public, have no idea how much this China-virus has our elderly greatly worried to where it has nearly consumed them with fear. All I could say to my dear soul, was for him and everyone else to follow the protocols set forth by the virologists. Since he’s a prolific reader of real news, he quit taking the Globe Gazette years ago, and only subscribes to the Des Moines Register, and if there’s an article in the Register that really “hits” him, he cuts it out and places it with all the others he’s been saving to re-read. This morning, he pulled out several he thought I’d not seen, but fortunately, I’d already read them online. We spent a little time reviewing the facts contained in those clippings, until I finally said, “I think it’s time for me to head up to your attic.” So off we went.
Thank goodness I did go over to help him, because he’s a pretty stout fella, and I couldn’t imagine him trying to navigate that narrow stairway with its steep steps. When he turned the light on, I found that he’d already had a very many boxes piled near the stairwell which he wanted carried down to his garage, while the remainder, were already neatly staked on shelves.
All I asked for him to do, was to stay at the bottom of those pigmy-size steps, so I could carry his boxes down and place them in the hallway where he could stack them for the time being. Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes into over two hours, and thankfully, I didn’t end up falling down those steep steps after carrying down all the many of his pasteboard boxes.
After I shut off the light, and closed his attic door, I asked that he prop his back door open while he stood just outside, so I could hand him each box, and then he carry them into his overly-large double garage which was only steps away from his home. As I mentioned, he’s a big guy, and the fewer steps he would take, were all the better for him. Luckily, that short stretch from hallway to back door, took us no longer than forty-five minutes to get them neatly stacked in the open second stall of his garage.
I’m exceptionally glad I offered to help him, because all I could see in my mind, was him taking a fall down those attic steps, and since he’s a widower, he could’ve been laying there alone for hours. Before I left, he profusely thanked me for my help, and that’s all I could say was, “I’d rather be paying forward than paying back.” Yes, our elderly in need, are the ones we must share our time and talents with the most.
The rest of my day was spent working on one of my projects, and since I’d already got myself limbered up, I worked longer than I’d expected, but all the glad for it, because it took me an hour or two closer to having it finished.
Tonight’s one-liner is: Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well.
