Tuesday, July 15, 2008

A small tale of a simple summer moment of thanks

I had one of those moments the other day. Those moments, sometimes rare, when you just feel good about who you are and where you are, and what your life is filled with. And I realized in this moment of reflection, it wasn’t in something new I had just bought, or some far-off place I had just been to, or how powerful I had been in a meeting with important people. It was in relationships and simplicity and the beauty of summer.

I spent Friday cleaning out closets and drawers with my assistant. I’ve hired my 11-year-old neighbor to help me with my business, but now she’s expressed interest in more work, so along with helping with mailings and filing, she helped get ready for the garage sale. I pulled out crap, she labeled it with the price. (And yes, she insisted that my Jesus head whose eyes follow you around the room be priced at $4 because “people are really religious!”) I enjoy spending time with kids. Especially this age. She’s very professional when she comes to work with me. She turns off her phone, and takes it seriously. I’m really impressed. Later when she was off work, we experimented making some homemade popsicles. With keifer milk and berries, and some with horchata and cajeta.

Saturday I hung out at the garage sale next door, spending the day laughing and talking with my neighbor (my assistant’s mom). I’ve always hoped to have a neighbor who’s a friend, and over the last year, and with the help of Wink, we’ve met and befriended a really super handful of them. But next door? Dreamy. We’re the same age and both loved the same music growing up and I just feel like we could talk and talk and talk some more. I really respect her. And neither of us understand scrapbooking. Or the other neighbor who insists on playing country music for all to hear.

Sunday I spent several hours with 15 of the most amazing women, a cross section of women all with different stories, and we talked about what it’s like as women, what we deal with in our lives, the history of the women’s movement. Incredible. Moved. Connected. Touched.

I found AdRi at the garage sale, and later that afternoon, together we made and canned 24 jars of raspberry and tayberry jam. From berries she had picked herself early that morning. Just berries and sugar. The tayberries? They smelled like flowers. Sweet berry flowers and summer. The pop pop ping of the jars sealing throughout the evening made both of us smile and our eyes light up.

And I realized I had had a really good weekend. I feel so fortunate to have these connections, and to live in such a beautiful place. And I feel so fortunate to realize this. To see the beauty around me, and to know the people that I do. Thankfulness is a very good thing.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I always enjoy your posts, and this is no exception. What a beautiful reminder at the strength of gratitude and the wonderment of appreciating what is.

Anonymous said...

This is the loveliest post ever.
I am now experiencing vicarious bliss.
--g

Anonymous said...

We all know Jesus Saves but does Jesus Sell?

LeLo said...

breathingmoss: thank you.

g: you, my friend, are a wonderful neighbor and friend!

alan cordle: NO, Jesus did not sell. Look for him at your local Goodwill!

Jennifer said...

Love it...

CrackerLilo said...

What a wonderful-sounding weekend, and how great that you have neighbors like that around you!

Anonymous said...

heading to Goodwill right now, byeeeeeeeeeeee!

Anonymous said...

You seem to have this presence of inner peace, its refreshing!

Desert Diva said...

You seem to have the most "wonderful" life, and it's good to be thankful for what we have - so many have so little.

Thanks for an inspiring post to remind me of the things in life that are good...

SassyFemme said...

Here's to lots more of the good life!

Rozanne said...

(And yes, she insisted that my Jesus head whose eyes follow you around the room be priced at $4 because “people are really religious!”)

I love how kids arrive at price points! LOL

Lovely post.

Anonymous said...

Quite apart from the fact that this was an enjoyable diversion, I've now committed myself to trying horchata and kefir popsicles.

Frozen Nancy's peach kefir on a stick, here I come...

Farmer
www.farmerdeville.com