Sometimes, you read about stuff that happens that leaves you utterly bewildered. How can this be? People, littering grocery stores with spent gloves and masks? Hording and reselling PPEs to make a fast buck? Shouting obscenities because someone asks them to please step back and not come too close? Stories like that make you sick. There's the virus, but, too, there is our own humanity and it is being put to a test. And some of the accounts you come across don't make us look all that good.
But then, on mornings like today, I am reminded that there are many more stories out there of "inner goodness" (these are words I used with my girls when they were still trying to understand complicated human behaviors and impulses), even over and beyond the obvious heroism of those now working on the frontlines. So many people just want to do good stuff. Inevitably, they touch your life, like a gentle dusting of glitter, helping you to feel at peace with the world again.
I heard, quite unexpectedly from three unusual friends this morning and all three caused me to cry big fat gloppy tears. One who is a long time Ocean friend, and another who is a travel related friend. The third -- a former student.
The first message came with a gift: two sheets of vintage paper doll cutouts. (You can find such gems here: vintage-ornaments.com. The women who own and operate this business cross the ocean to familiar to me spots -- now hit hard with the virus -- to resupply.)
Oh, how Snowdrop will love these! I can almost hear the stories she will tell, the favorite setups she will grow to love!
My second contact was different. It came in the form of a long email from a woman who runs a small bed and breakfast out of her family home in Parma, Italy. I love Parma -- a treasure of a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. And I loved my visits to Patrizia's bed and breakfast. And I love its owner -- someone who famously once told me to pay attention to my dress and habits, even if I do live with a person who ostensibly couldn't care less about such matters as physical appearance!
Unfortunately, Covid19 infections are high there and the deaths even higher. Emilia-Romagna has more than 10% of Italy's Covid cases. And more than 10% of those infected have died. My friend's family was not spared.
I promised her I would come and visit as soon as it was safe to do so.
The third note came from a former student, now a big time attorney in town, who, along with her husband, offered safe, clean shopping help. Ed and I are okay now. We have learned tricks on how to keep ourselves well stocked and we wash and disinfect stuff before it comes into the farmhouse, because we know others may not have been as careful. We're hanging in there! And still, the gesture was so goodhearted that my heart swelled.
There surely is a lot of love and goodness on this planet.
And so it is indeed a rich day. Even if we did once again appear to have four seasons of weather, all in the space of one hour! Well, maybe only three seasons. I did not recognize any elements of summer. (The sudden gust of snow...)
Breakfast, with Ed...
Then a morning with Snowdrop and Sparrow, at their house...
And afternoon of cooking and baking. Ed's working on a pan of brownies.
Me, I'm taking out the pizza ingredients again. We finally got flour and yeast! Now is the time to make up some pizza dough and twirl it in the air! Or some such maneuver.
And once again, we descend into our evening of calm. And popcorn.
And once more, I'll end with a thank you. To all of you, for all that you do for others.
Primrose sent me a piece of her artwork. It's full of color and joy. I'll end the post with her creation.
But then, on mornings like today, I am reminded that there are many more stories out there of "inner goodness" (these are words I used with my girls when they were still trying to understand complicated human behaviors and impulses), even over and beyond the obvious heroism of those now working on the frontlines. So many people just want to do good stuff. Inevitably, they touch your life, like a gentle dusting of glitter, helping you to feel at peace with the world again.
I heard, quite unexpectedly from three unusual friends this morning and all three caused me to cry big fat gloppy tears. One who is a long time Ocean friend, and another who is a travel related friend. The third -- a former student.
The first message came with a gift: two sheets of vintage paper doll cutouts. (You can find such gems here: vintage-ornaments.com. The women who own and operate this business cross the ocean to familiar to me spots -- now hit hard with the virus -- to resupply.)
Oh, how Snowdrop will love these! I can almost hear the stories she will tell, the favorite setups she will grow to love!
My second contact was different. It came in the form of a long email from a woman who runs a small bed and breakfast out of her family home in Parma, Italy. I love Parma -- a treasure of a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. And I loved my visits to Patrizia's bed and breakfast. And I love its owner -- someone who famously once told me to pay attention to my dress and habits, even if I do live with a person who ostensibly couldn't care less about such matters as physical appearance!
Unfortunately, Covid19 infections are high there and the deaths even higher. Emilia-Romagna has more than 10% of Italy's Covid cases. And more than 10% of those infected have died. My friend's family was not spared.
I promised her I would come and visit as soon as it was safe to do so.
The third note came from a former student, now a big time attorney in town, who, along with her husband, offered safe, clean shopping help. Ed and I are okay now. We have learned tricks on how to keep ourselves well stocked and we wash and disinfect stuff before it comes into the farmhouse, because we know others may not have been as careful. We're hanging in there! And still, the gesture was so goodhearted that my heart swelled.
There surely is a lot of love and goodness on this planet.
And so it is indeed a rich day. Even if we did once again appear to have four seasons of weather, all in the space of one hour! Well, maybe only three seasons. I did not recognize any elements of summer. (The sudden gust of snow...)
Breakfast, with Ed...
Then a morning with Snowdrop and Sparrow, at their house...
And afternoon of cooking and baking. Ed's working on a pan of brownies.
Me, I'm taking out the pizza ingredients again. We finally got flour and yeast! Now is the time to make up some pizza dough and twirl it in the air! Or some such maneuver.
And once again, we descend into our evening of calm. And popcorn.
And once more, I'll end with a thank you. To all of you, for all that you do for others.
Primrose sent me a piece of her artwork. It's full of color and joy. I'll end the post with her creation.
