She's a Keeper

Taken from "Living Gently in a Violent World" by Stanley Hauerwas and Jean Vanier:

"I know a man who lives in Paris. His wife has Alzheimer's. He was an important businessman - his life filled with busyness. But he said that when his wife fell sick, 'I just couldn't put her in an institution, so I keep her. I feed her. I bathe her.'

I went to Paris to visit them, and this businessman who had been very busy all his life said, 'I have changed. I have become more human.'

I got a letter from him recently. He said that in the middle of the night his wife woke him up.

She came out of the fog for a moment, and she said, 'Darling, I just want to say thank you for all you're doing for me.' Then she fell back into the fog. He said, 'I wept and I wept.' "

I'm My Own Grandma

It is interesting that these two young people are coming home at the same time.

Candace, my granddaughter. The wannabe princess. Who is so much more already than she longs to be. But she values these qualities very little. The very things I love most about her.

And Tom, my nephew by marriage. The rebel warrior who refuses to fit into mainstream society in any way. Lives a bit like a gypsy except for remaining in the same place. He will arrive a few days from now.

Before going to sleep last night, I said a prayer for any ancestors that needed prayers. This is not something I have done before. Someone else recently made me aware of reasons for doing this.

Strangely enough, it was a young part of myself that I dreamt of. She came knocking at the door of the house I grew up in.

The second dream I had was of Tom arriving early - knocking at the door of the house I live in now. I opened the door to the darkness - then began feeling vulnerable as I became more aware of the darkness I was facing.

The words of wisdom that came my way this morning - "You stand in your own light. Make it shine."

Laser

I had my first laser treatment on my damaged eye yesterday.

My sister-in-law drove me the hundred miles we had to travel. It was an enjoyable trip. She is a non-stop talker so it kept me distracted from any nervousness I might have otherwise been feeling.

The young doctor is a real go-getter. I don't know if he double-boooks or triple-books his patients. I just know that you are guaranteed a 2-3 hour wait any time you go to see him. However, he is a very thorough doctor and really seems to "know his stuff".

The laser treatment itself is a very uncomfortable procedure but only takes five minutes. They strap your head in once you have your chin on the chin rest. Smart move! Because they then shoot 400 hunded injections of light into your eye. After about the first minute, you begin to feel like you can't tolerate any more; and the natural instinct is to recoil. It takes a concentrated effort to stay with it even though you have no other choice available at the moment.

I came out of there not being able to see anyting for the first little while. I immediately put on my dark sunglasses (that I got for just this occasion) and left them on until bedtime.

There seems to be a slight improvement in my vision already - although I can't help but wonder if it's just my imagination. Time will tell.

One down - four more to go.