Confessions of a Grandma

A member of the poetry workshop shared this Zen poem with the group.  as if mending socks, I repair my mind and live on         ~Lady Yoshino Yoshiko (1915- ) It struck me as especially poignant in light of both historical and current events in Japan. ~~~  I do like a cookie with my tea.  Okay, I like two cookies with my tea (like I can't see that eye rolling thing).    My new favorite is Newtons Fruit thins (cranberry, citrus, oat) made by Nabisco.  They have 140 calories for a serving size of three (Wow, 3, I short changed myself).  They also come in blueberry or raspberry and chocolate. ~~~ As I was running a number of errands today, I had the car radio on and happened to hear a couple of ads for an organization promoting diversity -- not just at work but in neighborhoods as well.  I was reminded of this picture that my nine year old grand daughter drew for me. For some reason it just cracked...

I received this e-mail and it just cracked me up because my mom was always shooing us away from goodies she had made "for the church." When my brother brought an apple pie he'd baked to family Christmas dinner, his wry presentation comment was, "It wasn't good enough to give to the church, so you can eat this one." A very old man lay dying in his bed. In death's doorway, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookie wafting up the stairs. He gathered his remaining strength and lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom, and with even greater effort forced himself down the stairs, gripping the railing with both hands. With labored breath, he leaned against the door frame, gazing into the kitchen. Were it not for death's agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven. There, spread out up on newspapers on the kitchen table were literally hundreds of his favorite chocola...