What's going on? Part One?

Have you ever ignored things without knowing that you were doing so?  Maybe it's a form of self-preservation?  I don't know.  What I do know is that even though I try very hard to be mindful, I am excellent at ignoring what I don't want to see. I am, in fact an expert at it ... after years of experience.  

A case in point is that I have come to realize that my house is sort of "haunted". This is nothing new really -- lots of people have encounters with ghosts, spirits, unknown entities.  They just don't always talk about it.  Even as a kid I remember our house had a frequent "visitor".  Eventually I named him. I distinctly remember coming home from church one time to find the Sunday newspaper spread out all over the living room, and ... he (?) once hid a sewing project by wrapping it up in a towel and putting it in a built-in drawer in the attic.  Those are just two of the "happenings".   Further -- he/it  went to college with me and freaked out my roommate by doing such things as making the blinds go up very slowly and then pulling them down again more rapidly.  I was used to such activity.  Unfortunately she was not. (I sometimes wonder whatever happened to her.)

Anyway -- I lived for several years in my home before I allowed myself to realize that I didn't live there alone.  Other people commented on that fact before I finally admitted it to myself.  It's not scary, just interesting and sometimes -- annoying.  It all came to a head one holiday time when I had a full house.  There were taps on shoulders, pats on heads, and one more serious grabbing of a leg.  Prior to that it was just a suspicion that my grand-babies were talking to or laughing with an invisible someone/something and occasionally noticing that it was odd the way the various pets acted, etc.  I tuned it out. Anyway...when my youngest grandchild clearly stated,  "Stop tapping me on the head. I am sick of it!", it was time to get real and figure out what was going on. Her mom and I were in the same room with her --but no where near her -- and-- as a rule we are not head tappers anyway. Actually..my daughter and I had been watching my daughter-in-law being tapped repeatedly on the shoulder just prior to that.  She kept turning around thinking that someone wanted her and no one was there. She was confused and maybe a bit annoyed. My daughter and I explained that she shouldn't take it personally. Fortunately she still comes to visit.  It's all good -- nothing too scary -- seriously -- a person gets used to it.   Pictures move, coins appear, small items fly through the air, the oven occasionally starts by itself, unusual noises startle, etc.  Nothing out of the normal as far as these "things" go.

It's not nice to bother children though -- so that's when I agreed to call in ghost hunters - paranormal investigators.  An experienced team of them has been to my house and property now two times and are planning a third hunt.  (They like to come here -- lots going on.  I think they are arranging for some additional detecting equipment at the moment.) I have also had a medium here as well as a psychic. It seems that my property, especially my small barn, has a lot going on.  The house itself -- mostly just a place for entities to hang out for a little while on their way through to where ever it is that such beings go.  I find it all very interesting.  I am not sure that others do. There may be more on this and other "adventures" later...maybe.  We will see....  Anyway -- the holidays are approaching once again -- Thanksgiving is only a week away.  It will be interesting to see if the house is full , once again, with more than just my family.  If I wake up Thanksgiving morning to find my son on the couch in the living room because the guest room became a "creepy corner" during the night,  I'll know that we still have visitors.  It would be nice if they could at least help with the dishes. 

A Life Lesson

.I talk to people, so I know I am not alone in this... you learn a few lessons as you work your way through a lifetime, and one of those is to take it a little easier on yourself once in a while.

One of my cousins and I have had conversation more than once about how appalled our Mom's might be if they knew that we occasionally use paper plates -- even at holiday time... that sometimes we don't even clean every visible and not so visible place in the entire house before the family comes for a big gathering... that we, as the hostess, can relax and enjoy the party too -- the entire party.  We are not sure that our wonderful Moms always did -- enjoy the entire party that is. For one thing, they had to have been exhausted with all the advance cleaning, and making every single dish from scratch -- no shortcuts back in that day.  Think of it  -- no gravy in a jar in case of unexpected clumping, no microwave potatoes, no stuffing in a box for leftovers, no store bought much of anything  -- not to mention other "things" like --- --- no disposable diapers. I shutter to even remember ironing Oxford cloth shirts. Life was more difficult then for sure...all the way around -- especially if everything had to be perfect -- which it did - often.

Just the other day, my sister was working on a book of photographs on Shutterfly.  She was memorializing a recent family get-together. The end product is wonderful!  I love it and told her so.  She replied that it wasn't perfect, but it was going to work.  I think her words were, "Perfect is the enemy of done".  It took me a minute to get my brain around what she was saying, but she is, once again, so on the mark.  I think this is one of those life lessons.  Do the best that you have time to do. Enjoy the process, the doing.  Perfect is impossible anyway.  Yep....  

I think it may be especially important to keep this life lesson in mind - especially as we approach the holidays.  Enjoy the process.  Everything is not going to be perfect and that's okay.

Thanksgiving is two weeks from today.  Two weeks...and for those of you who create the holiday for others... Breathe.... Enjoy....

I Cry at the Parades

I pretty much have grown up in a small community in rural NW Pennsylvania.  I like it here - even in the winter. I like the people.  I like the way of life.  I like the area, the change of seasons, and I like the feel of small town America. That is why I raised my children here. That is why I stay here. 

For many years I worked with young people at the local high school.  They drove me crazy sometimes, but basically they won my heart -- over and over again.  I distinctly remember trying to sit alone in the auditorium during their assemblies, performances, ceremonies, plays... all of it.   You see the thing is -- I would cry just watching them, and I didn't really want the kids to know that I am a big softy. I never went to an event without Kleenex. I admired their courage to put themselves out there.  I admired their commitment and spirit...their many talents.  That spirit is the basis of it all -- the "feel" of small town America. It touches my heart.

Now I am fortunate enough to watch my grandchildren begin their lives here... to watch them discover what it is like to be a part of this community. My grandson went for a walk just the other day.  He told me that he stopped at the art gallery and introduced himself to the woman working there. Did I mention that he is eight?  He told me that they talked about art, that she wanted him to bring in some of his drawings.  He plans to do so.  He stopped into a couple of other places and an antique store as well.  He checked things out...was welcome every single place he went.  That's how people are here.  I think it is part of the whole "...it takes a village" thing.  He felt good about every aspect of the experience...very independent and capable.  He told me that it felt nice to get to know new people and... that he stopped in the city park on his way through -- just to dance a little bit in the gazebo there.  Imagine the joy of feeling like doing that...  Now his little sister is all about going on a walk with him.  It will be a while yet.  She is four.

I have good feelings about this town.  I have felt the "pulling together" in times of need, I have felt the support of one for another.  There is an underlying understanding that comes from sharing lives in a community like this.  You don't know everyone, but you do have a sense of being a part of the spirit of things. Off and on throughout the year there are community celebrations of various sorts.  People work hard to make it special for others. They take pride in what they do and in their community. The festivities are warm and welcoming. There is a feeling about being a part of a small town in America. It's good.  I have to mention though --  I cry at the parades.  I am thinking that some of you will "get" that.