2.27.22
A little after five o’clock in the morning and here I am sitting in my easy chair, the kettle singing away on the cooker, close to boiling and the fire crackling and blazing in the stove. When I got up this morning, well actually, when I woke up over an hour ago, the urge to write was again upon me. It was however, so nice to just stay snuggled up beside Darrell for another few minutes, even though it is not nearly as cold this morning as in the previous days. In fact, we are a balmy 28 degrees out there this morning when just a couple of days ago if was zero! I will take the 28 with pleasure. My thought after I got up, lit the fire and put the kettle on was to work on my latest endeavour, my novel. Then I thought about all you fine folk out there who follow my Sunday stories. The number of little notes sent, hoping all is well and that my arm is healing nicely, have been wonderful. So, I felt it only right to set aside that part of my mind anxious to write more about “Katherine” and instead jot a note to my wonderful followers out there near and far.
It has been very challenging this past few weeks. Not a person to want to just sit in my easy chair and twiddle my thumbs – although twiddling my thumbs turns out to be grand therapy for my broken arm – I have given myself a talking to and realized one just cannot do all one used to do when one has a damaged wing. One had to give it time to heal. Darrell, bless his soul, keeps an eagle eye on me, making sure I do not over do things and is my number one encourager when it comes to my writing. I have been pretty good and once morning chores are completed, have been allowing myself the luxury of staying in by the fire and writing. The story of “Katherine” has taken hold and seems to be off and running, so I am going with the flow. Always one to try to find the silver lining in a dark cloud, I try to tell myself there must be some reason why I broke my arm. Maybe it is so the story of Katherine can be told.
Yet while I find my mind wandering down Katherine’s village lanes, it is hard to insulate oneself from real life. Much has been on my mind of late. Of course, the situation in Europe is of grave concern, but while so many are focused on the valiant struggles of the Ukrainian people, it is easy to forget the struggles of people here at home. The violence in the cities of America continues. The nastiness of some individuals in power, insidiously polluting so many minds, the fear and hatred being spread by some groups who, it seems, wish to divide this great nation. Then we see a country abroad whose citizens just want to live as a people united. When war threatens, many who have never held a gun in their lives are willing to stand up and bear arms in order to fight for their nation and their way of life. We watch with mixed emotions, all of us rooting for the underdog.
Then my mind is reminded of the struggles back much closer to home. A young lady and friend of mine, Kacy Pogue, who has a heart of gold and is always willing to lend a helping hand to those who need it, now finds herself laying in a hospital bed at a trauma center in Idaho. Paralyzed from the waist down with numerous other injuries suffered after wrecking her truck, she still has a smile on her face. With the aid of amazing surgeons, she has been pieced back together. With great luck and determination, it is hoped she may one day walk again. That is a stark reminder to me that a broken arm is a mere ripple in a pond in comparison!
However, my heart and mind stray frequently to a wee little laddie, Levi Chase, who is desperately fighting an epic battle of his own, pediatric leukemia. I have known his mum, Amanda, since she was a young girl in Pony Club and watched from afar as she eventually became a wife and mother. How devastated I was after learning that her youngest lad, Levi, had been stricken with leukemia, following the ups and downs of his journey. Alternately laughing at his antics in the hospital one minute and sobbing the next as Amanda kept family and friends updated on his progress. Amidst all that is going on in the world, Levi’s amazing family fight a daily war against an enemy they cannot see, cannot touch. So many treatments have failed, their hope now lies in experimental procedures and prayers for a miracle. Yet they never give up hope. Their battle will go on and through it all, little Levi can still grin.
As this world sometimes seems be teetering on the brink of chaos, whether it be fears of upheaval, economic collapse or even threats of war, there still is so much to be thankful for. As I was sitting in my easy chair yesterday evening, I was feeling a tad disgruntled and sorry for myself. Earlier, I unthinkingly flipped a steak on the bar-b-que over using my left hand and the pain that shot through my injured arm was excruciating. Cross at myself for doing such a silly thing led me to being even crosser at myself for falling and breaking my arm in the first place! Then, little Levi crossed my mind, as did Kacy, as did the people fighting for their homeland in Ukraine. How on earth can I sit here feeling sorry for myself I wondered. How much I have to be thankful for… for my battle to regain my health and strength is a mere minor kerfuffle compared to what one little toddler and his beautiful family are dealing with. We all may have our trials and tribulations, but in the big scheme of things, if we truly are honest, so often our trials are much smaller than many of those battling around us. As I sit here beside Darrell, in front of a cozy fire, I am so thankful. My blessings go out to everyone out there, silently fighting their own war…