After the guys got home safely, and we were snugly tucked in the old farmhouse for the night, we gathered in the living room, and enjoyed a hot drink while supper heated in the oven. The farmhouse filled with the wonderful aroma of lasagna in the oven and the wonderful sound of laughter and chatter in the air. A simply delicious combination.
I hadn’t seen my sister since Thanksgiving when she was just recovering from her surgery. That story is told here if you want to read more. I was so anxious to see her again and catch up on all her news and see for myself how she was doing.
She walked in the door, and I hardly recognized her. She looked absolutely fabulous. Her eyes were bright and sparkling, joy and good health shone from her face, and happiness bubbled up all around her. She had a bounce in her step and a lilt in her voice that made my heart jump for joy. It was so good to see her like this. Last fall she was so sick, and even though it turned out she didn’t have cancer, the abscess and infection that she did have was very serious, and we could have lost her.
Anyway, that is all behind us now, and she looks and feels great. We consumed pots and pots of tea and gabbed and gabbed and gabbed all weekend. The guys talked digital photography, computers, books and myriad other things while Heather and I shared what great books we were reading, what out kids were doing, what our hopes and dreams were for this new year, and a kazillion other things. We laugh a lot when we are together and tend to set each other off, so there were gales of laughter pealing through the old farmhouse all weekend. Well, after the guys got home safely that is!!!!
She is my baby sister, so she hasn’t hit 50 yet but is getting mighty close. What exciting things can happen when you turn 50, are still learning and growing, and have your health. I took a turn towards my own North Star just before I turned 50, and picked up a paintbrush for the first time in my life. She is doing the same thing, but her turn towards her North Star includes a serious look at her talent for writing. It feels so good when you turn towards the desires of your heart and start doing something that brings you so much joy and is so fulfilling.
We each just finished reading the Secret Life of Bees and loved it, so we had lots to talk about there. She also just finished The Dance of the Dissident Daughter and I am right in the middle of it, so that made for stimulating conversation too.
After all the tea and chatter we went outdoors, and Heather was thrilled to feed the birds out of her hand (see previous post) and then take a snowshoe walk along the river. Yes, in spite of the trauma, we had a marvellous weekend and made lots of treasured memories to look back on again and again.
I cannot believe that the inscrutable universe turns on an axis of suffering; surely the strange beauty of the world must somewhere rest on pure joy. Louise Bogan
In spite of the trauma sent our way this weekend, we were treated to joy too.
There is no such thing as the pursuit of happiness, but there is the discovery of joy. Joyce Grenfell
I hope you are surprised by joy and discover it in all sorts of unexpected place as you walk the path of life today. Keep your eyes open, the joy is there just waiting to be discovered by you.
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