Life as It Comes

Sir William Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan fame) in his treatise on “Patience” offers this bit of advice:  “Life’s a pudding full of plums;  Care’s a canker that benumbs, therefore waste our elocution on impossible solution?  Let us take it as it comes!” Take it as it comes, bumps, bruises and all.

“One morning, months ago, I visited a good friend who had been ill for some time. He was a man that exuded energy and goodness and talking with him was such a treat for he had a knack of putting his friends at ease and engaged. Each time we visited, the conversation included a nice dose of teasing and catching up, and often it turned to matters of health. Shortly after that visit, at 89 years of age, he played 9 holes of golf with his wife and enjoyed the day, without having to pay with aching joints or fatigue. He told me then that he would play in our summer golf league, and he did, for the first few weeks! Continue reading

Simple Generosity!

Soon a new year will begin, full of hope and opportunities. As my wife and I put a difficult year behind us, our thoughts turn with gratitude to what it really means to be generous, for the giver and receiver.

I believe it takes a certain amount of grace to be the recipient of the generosity of others. Having been on the receiving end of so much generosity this year, we know that the tiniest gesture is so very large and helpful. Continue reading

Talking Prayers with My Dog

We all go through rough times in our lives, times when it is hard to imagine how to handle a problem, or work through grief, or make an extremely difficult and painful decision. As a much younger man my strategy, often, was to deny or ignore, but, most of the time, I would simply isolate myself by taking a walk in the woods or around the lake that was several miles from my home.

I was accompanied on those walks by my dog, Mandy. Just a mixed breed, part Lab, part mongrel and 100% loyal.  She was a wonderful companion and a very good listener. She would often run ahead, maybe chase a rabbit, and return and walk along with me. During those times, I would tell Mandy why we were on this walk and I would explain my problem or why I was hurting. Often these conversations with my dog came out very much like prayers. Continue reading