Gratitude and Blessing

A lot can happen in a week's time. Classrooms full of learning students can create a painting a day in some classes and in other classes, chaos rules. My sweet cat Egypt died suddenly on the day of my last wedding rehearsal for the spring. We cry hard for the cat but go to the wedding rehearsal to rejoice with the newlyweds and bells ring, fiddle, drum and flute follow the merry tune of the guitar. Resurrection is the message. Life after death comes with dreams of soul partners turning into reality, into bliss. While the fiddler plays the Shaker tune, "Simple Gifts" it feels as if my furry friend sent the message, "It's all good Robin, it's all good." While I believe in the goodness of life, that phrase has never been something I would say to anyone. Life is unpredictable and the irony of it all is that in the midst of sadness, grief and turmoil joys happen. Friends gather round to sing and laugh making memories of happiness overriding the grief.

Then Monday at the high school a moment of silence. A young boy, a sophomore, dies from an accidental overdose. I had only met him once when he was causing difficulties for the substitutes, but I knew him. A kid who overdosed wasn't just a face in the paper, but he was a little taller than me (so he was a bit short for a guy). He wanted to make trouble for us that day but at the same time, he exuded the energy of youth. Who would have thought that life could be so tenuous for such a strong boy, for such a young boy. Risks, daring, they have a way of doing us in when we least expect it and all in the name of having a good time. A minute of silence on a Monday for the boy turns into a student here saying she knew his sister and the sister is not able to talk about it yet. Then three young girls talking about how they knew them all their lives because they lived in the same place near Cherokee and went to the same school all their lives. What is teen grief? How can they process grief that is so fresh and new to the young spirit? Tell the stories of Brandon I tell them. Talk to each other. Remember all the good things he was and comfort each other. The next minute they are laughing and painting pictures of fairies or masks though one girl paints a remembrance picture of resting in peace.

I've wanted to write about the power and goodness of life in the midst of grief, death and loss this week but have found no words. More people lose jobs. Our 87-year-old mom living with us gets her income cut and all I can think is how glad I am now that she lives with us so that she doesn't have to face that kind of loss alone. Teachers in North Carolina have a cut in pay and the local community college received word that they will no longer be able to purchase periodicals. The cut in the library budget wasn't just for the frivolous magazines but ALL magazines. Can you imagine a library without magazines? Schools without good teachers? Then our locals' favorite beach, Myrtle Beach still battles a wildfire and the grief and loss continues. How do we make sense of it all? What keeps us going each day?

 

Then this morning I awaken to a morning of spring rain. This is the rain we need for gardens and water tables to be restored, renewed refreshed. After walking the dog, all I can think about this morning are the wild violets and strawberries, the new ferns springing up on the hillside, the dogwoods still blooming in the woods. As Bear and I walk down the hill from the house, we can see a small cloud wrapped around Pump Mountain. I've wanted to write about the events in this week, events that are not mine alone. Children die young and pets move on. The young and old battle disease and our economy is as unpredictable as the weather, but I wanted something good to tell you too. As I started typing this, I could not stop thinking of the forest coming alive as the earth is renewed and I realized I could run outside and take pictures of the new life. So I did. Look, it's all good even on cloudy days! I did not lighten these photos but took them in the gray of the morning.

 

A flame azalea blooms like fire:

 

 

Rhododendron color the mountains

 

Our paths are strewn with blessing

 

 

Some things grow wild

 

 

and other good things we have to choose and plant in our lives.

 

It's all good and you are important.

 

 

As I took these pictures my heart began to soar out of the sadness of the week and move towards hopefulness. It's all good says my cat and she is right. As I took last picture, a new spring rain began to fall.