My response to Patti Digh's Blog on Letting Go:
1. Put out of my mind the actions and business of others over whom I have no control. As in The Serenity Prayer: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”
2. I need to let go of regrets about whatever I did or didn’t do involving my husband. That’s the only way I can move on in a confident manner, affirming that God is beside me now and will always be. I just have to remind myself of that when I wander into “Woe is me land.”
3. Let go of the idea that I need a companion to walk beside me for however many years I have left of my time here on Earth.
4. Quit being preoccupied by those no longer in my life, no matter the reason, and be grateful for those people gracious enough to share space with me.
5. Be thankful for the blessings I have- a warm-hearted and loving family, generous and accepting friends, a warm and homey abode, a functioning car and a steady income.
6. Accept my body for the positive gifts it gives me- those of mobility, energy and health to exercise, hearing and vision faculties, empathy and ability to communicate both in the oral and written areas- instead of its imperfect package seen in my mirror and by the world-at-large.
7. Shuck thoughts that lead to dreary and depressive days, weeks…
8.Throw out excuses for not using my Rodney Yee DVD.
9. Stop rationalizing why I’m not on my treadmill.
10. Discard wasting of time.
11. Crush any negative musings leading to the inaction of living life to the fullest.
On Saturday, November 27, writing friends were invited to join River Lin in her home for an ethnic Japanese dish and other food carried in by the group. The primary reason we were there was to paint rocks commemorating our hopes and dreams for the new year 2011. This was to be my third year in joining in this wondrous activity. Before we started either of these, River introduced her BSU colleague with these words, "I'd like you to meet my new best friend, Mary!" 
I was startled by those words of "new" and "best." I'm wary and slow at welcoming people into my circle of friends. Because of my prior experiences, I am cordial to new acquaintances, but not immediately warm. As always, my face reveals my thoughts and apparently I also murmured something aloud. So Mary explained that she was told that we're River's best friends and she was invited to be in that circle of friends. Wow! What a concept! River reminds me so much of my oldest granddaughter who is known to open herself to the world with welcoming arms, and River does the same.
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| my granddaughter |
As I said, I'm sloooow... So I take time to wander back to when and how I was invited to join the group by a friend from book club. And how accepting and loving they all were of me, even though I dwelt in the dark place of being newly widowed.
Leading up to the painting activity River prompted us to be quiet so that we could receive from the Holy Spirit how we were to paint our rock and the word that would typify our hope or goal for the new year.
So, the word the Spirit brought to my mind was "trust"- trust in God, trust in friends (both long-time and new).
And Thanks be to God, I'm here in this place at this time. 
Last night when I hosted scrapbooking in my home, I continued filling my scrapbook with my photos and memories of St. Mary School. I taught 1st grade for 19 years in that special place.
I continued with it today and came across a photo of the student teacher I had the pleasure of mentoring in the 2002-2003 school year. Next is a snippet about the first day of our school year.
Diane showed what a gem she would be the very first day of school. That year I had a little bright gift in the form of a Korean girl named M.... We were in the midst of the students and parents' coming in the room and finding desks that would fit the children. They were burdened like pack mules with all the supplies for their school year. After the kids were settled and I was having them put things away and explaining procedures, Diane noticed that M... wasn't responding to the directions. So Diane got a chair and sat right beside M.... We discovered that our Korean neophyte knew no English. But somehow my gem helped our pupil get through the day.
