Friday Five: My Favorite Things
Songbird has said:
In a week of wondering how various things in our family life will unfold, I found myself thinking of the way Maria comforted the Von Trapp children in one of my favorite movies. Frightened by a thunder storm, the children descend upon her, and she sings to them about her favorite things, taking their minds off the storm.
So, let's encourage ourselves. Share with us five of your favorite things. Use words or pictures, whatever expresses it best.
My favorite things:
1. I love fly-fishing although the past couple of years I have not been able to go. My knees have been bothersome and walking in streams with rocky bottoms gives me fits anymore. But I still love the study of the various bugs that trout will eat and the tying of flies so that they will be realistic. Even more I love people who fly-fish. They are usually calm on the water and downright nutz when they get off the stream.
2. I am presently with my mother in TX. Mom cannot hear well, cannot see and now she cannot speak but a few words. She knows me though and when she can hear me, she understands what I am telling her. Today I bought her a new chair for her assisted living room. Her smile made my day. She hangs on to my hand and holds it up to her face. This kind of physical closeness is not what I grew up with. But it is all she has of me now. Such small things….
3. I love the liturgy of my Episcopal Church. I celebrated according to the BCP on Sunday and was surprised at how much I miss it. This does not mean that I don’t love celebrating in my ELCA parish. I do. The life-giving liturgy of the signs and symbols of the Church—no matter what denomination communicates the love of Jesus and I love that. And I see some places where the Lutheran liturgy tells the story a bit better than the BCP. But the BCP is in my blood and I miss it.
4. I have been gone from my family for over 35 years. This being with my niece and her family and with my Mom for longer than my usual week a couple times of year has been quite special. There is a lot of bittersweetness to family relations. But I am getting to like being around them again. I would not say that TX is my favorite place. There are still many things that detract from the culture here than add to it. But this trip home has been better than any time I have been here over the past 30 years. Is it me? Is it them? Has FTW changed? I guess we both have.
5. My other most favorite thing? Texas BBQ!
2 comments:
Glad to see that your voyage back to Texas has been life-affirming.
Family is always difficult no matter what your age. My father at 85 and counting and my three younger sisters all live in Jacksonville, FL having been translated from northeastern PA. We see them for a couple of weeks (usually Easter and Thanksgiving), since Eleanor will be in France with the HS French Club for Holy Week and Easter Week, we'll be derring that visit until later in the year.
Sorry you're not here. Trinity's Second Sunday on the 8th will be a presentation on the evolution of Evensong by Peter Browne, followed at 7:15 with a traditional Evensong in plainsong -- not sure wether gregorian or anglican chant.
Enjoy the family and Fort Worth.
I hope things work out for you with your mother. This is difficult, I know.
I experience that BBQ a few years ago on a trip to Dallas!
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