Bittersweet Journey

Overlook Mountain, Sewanee Tennessee

These past two weeks have been bittersweet..With the arrival of spring the weather has been pretty and mild in Tennessee...For traveling...

It was sweet that my older son, Chris, was able to clear his work schedule for a few days.. He offered to travel with me to Tennessee..I had been accustomed to making my way there alone..

Chris and I enjoyed many conversations during our drive...Some were serious..Others were silly ..Because our departure from Texas was an afternoon one, we split the 800 mile drive..We traveled late into the night.. We spent the wee hours of the morning in slumber.. At a roadside hotel.... We resumed and finished our trip the next day..

The sad part part of our experience was the reason we traveled to TN.. To be with my mom..

Mom was very ill, under hospice care..We knew that she was nearing the end of her journey, her battle with multiple illnesses. Whether Mom had a few days or a few weeks left on this earth we didn't know..Chris and I did know that this would be our last visit with her though..

While Chris drove us up the mountain towards our destination ( the hospital ), I enjoyed the view outside my passenger window..It had been drizzling but the clouds were clearing away..I spotted an exquisitely beautiful rainbow..Chris and I decided to pull over for a few minutes.. We got out of the car to get a closer look at the rainbow..I had the feeling that Mom was communicating with us in her special way...After a quick brunch, we made our way to the hospital..Upon our arrival, we found out that Mom had already passed on....Mom died in my sister's arms..

We think that Mom passed on as Chris and I traveled up the mountain..I am convinced that Mom didn't want Chris to see and hear her take her last breath..She picked her time to go as the dying often do....Mom knew where she wanted us to be..Mom went to heaven while we were looking at the pretty mountains that she loved..

R.I.P  Mom..
You touched everybody with your sweetness and courage..
I love you..
I will see you in heaven when my time on earth is finished..

Near Huntsville Alabama, headed home to Texas

Overlook Mountain, Sewanee Tennessee

" The Velveteen Rabbit "

EXCERPT FROM THE VELVETEEN RABBIT
~ By Margery Williams ~

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?" 

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but Really loves you, then you become Real." 

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit. 

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt." 

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?" 

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get all loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

A tribute to friends who make us feel heard! These are the friends who make us feel like we matter..More often than not, they have our backs when we feel like a deer in the headlights :-)

Idyllic Day

I started the day by getting up at the crack of dawn..With this said, I didn't allow myself enough time to get ready, get out of the house, and make it to my favorite spot to see the sunrise..Since I could already see early morning light I realized that I didn't have the time to drive ANYWHERE very far..
I did make it to Sylvan beach in time to see a late sunrise.. So I snapped a few pics..
Then I drove to Mc Hale Park to visit, it was very chilly and windy there..
Onwards to the Kemah Boardwalk to take a little stroll before sitting down to coffee..
Needless to say, my walk was a very very short one because I was freezing..Brrrrr..
Two friends met me for coffee-lunch..By the time we parted ways, it was beautiful outside..
I ended my afternoon at Bay Area Park with another good friend..
This Friday turned out to be an idyllic one because I put aside my worries to go out and find the sunshine !

At Sylvan Beach

At Bay Area Park, my friend and I watched the birdlife and a pretty sunset :-)

Friday Finds

Enjoyable break in the grayness of winter

It is a very chilly and windy afternoon outside..Finally a break in the clouds, fog and rain though..A stroll in the winter sunlight is good for the soul :-))

Path

So true..Whether it be humans or furry friends, they all have lessons to teach us :-)

Friday Finds