Miracle. All of it! That’s the sum total of my year.
There are miracles and miracles. It is regarded as a miracle if God does someone’s will. The best miracle is if someone does the will of God.
For two years, I nurtured the pineapple sage from sampling to maturity. It grew into a huge bush, mostly leaves. Pleading to the plant to please, please, please, flower for me; even just one flower. It did not. Maybe I placed it on the wrong side of the garden where it only receives 6 hours of full sun. I thought, next year, I have to give this plant a rest. On the first day of winter, I saw the most beautiful shade of red. It’s flowering despite low temperature and snow.
Oh, baby, baby. Our newest addition to our family, Sawyer, finally moved closer to home, from the east coast to the west coast at the beginning of this year. Needless to say, we are all ecstatic. I am proud to say I knitted this blanket that he is finally growing into. The pattern is called minted square. One square is completely different from the rest — an error – I found out when it’s all finished. That’s okay. Sawyer wouldn’t notice the difference.
The annual camping tradition was not canceled. Thank goodness our provincial park did not close our playground due to the virus. We were good abiding citizens and practiced social distancing during camping. The kids booked their own campsite side by side and we have one big site for communal all day cooking and eating. The pleasure of being simple in the woods, keeping voices low, not breaking the sound of silence, and kumbaya is the balm to these city slickers’ souls.
Just go with the flow, said the stone to the river and I’ll wait right here.
Apart from growing plants, painted rocks are additional ornaments to brighten the garden. Inspirational and spreading kind words written on the rocks such as joy, love, peace, live life pass it on, you rock, gratitude, etc. is becoming the norm. I must say I enjoy reading them.
During the pandemic, people are keener on having pets to keep them company. This senior cat got it made having a human servant to push her carriage around. I am happy for the cat yet feeling a tinge of jealousy at the same time. Jealous because I was thinking of those seniors in retirement, care, or nursing houses where their children cannot even visit them due to the restrictions.
Pay attention to what gives you joy. These gifts of joy are meant to help us during times of desolation.
On my birthday, as the celebrant, I pick where I want to go with my golden ladies. We are golden in terms of age. There are three of us. Trust me, I always take them where the wild things are. This time destination Garry Point. It’s a 75-acre waterfront part with an open and rolling landscape that provides spectacular vistas across the Salish Sea and beyond Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Snow geese are ubiquitous in this area. Needless to say, it was another day to remember with the golden girls as we make memories and not count years.
While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.
Two days after my birthday is another day to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos, The Day of the Dead. No better way to spend it in the boneyard on a beautiful autumn day to rattle and wake the skeletons, bring food on the sacred ground to feed the hungry ghost, and blow kisses to the faithfully departed.
If you think long enough about what you see in a cat, you begin to suppose you will understand everything, but its eyes tell you there is nothing to understand; there is only life.
Back at the beginning of the year, I adopted a cat named Grace. I remember when she was a kitten. When I used to stay overnight at her home, I wake up with Grace beside me. She is so adorable, charming, and loving. Lucy loves her. How did she come into my life? Well, because my younger cousin died. She left behind three cats. I don’t know who took the others. With my cousin’s demise, Grace will always remind me of her.
What did I truly find out this year? I found out that 2020 made me live with little of what I have. I laugh at myself a lot. There’s not a hell lot I can do.
Ending 2020 with a high note, I watched the Death of 2020. This is the best monologue that I replayed over and over again.
With no cure for Covid in sight, life for millions has been reduced to a creepy and a seemingly an endless lockdowns.
I live on my own and after a while got so lonely. I developed multiple personalities on purpose, so I can keep myself company. But, then, of course, I had to try and keep two meters away from myself at all times. Don’t know if you’ve ever tried doing that, but it’s a bloody nightmare. So I started doing video calls to keep sociable. I did so many, I sometimes glitch in real life now. Like, I just freeze now and then.
Wicked as what the brits would say. I went to bed in stitches with a smile on my face.
Reflections 