Early morning walk with baby girl pug. She's pretty calm these days. Listens most of the time. People, who knows her, seem surprised, but she's 11yo now. 12?
Passed nice neighbor's house.....had feelings about leaving her, sweeping her driveway, with a broom, as DD23 and I drove off to an amazing free Indian lunch downtown. The restaurant's way if showing gratitude to locals for supporting them through Covid and Helene. I didn't invite nice neighbor, bc DD was tired and wanted it to just be us. My heart wanted to invite her. I'm auto choosing my girls now.
Passed retired nurse's house ....feelings popped up around 2 bothersome truths. I let it go....thought about the bats flying through streetlight around 8pm hour lately, which I adore.....as I walked by cowboy's house. Felt nothing about them.....just knew...... they're lives are too complicated to brush against. I have an invisible barrier, these days.
Walked by elderly neighbor's nice blue house....they really cared about, and worked on their yard....tried so hard. Not anymore. The SonIL flies around, on their riding mower.....you can tell he hates it.....is screaming through it....just getting it over with, bc his FIL is in hospice....MIL has Alzheimer's.....is like a child. I think an unkind thought about retired nurse....her gossiping..... pettiness.
I walk by cowboy's son and DIL's house....their son is now 2yo. I haven't spent any time with her. Not really. There's some regret, bc...I....am confused about the why, truthfully. What would we talk about? I picture her sharing suspicions about her dh's sexuality.....and am reminded.... I'm a terrible liar. I don't want to see her face, look in her eyes, see that confusion. For me, it's straightforward reality. This or that or compromise. Ignore/pretend, blow everything up or stay, knowing the truth. I don't want to know her mind on this. I don't want to share mine. I'm unwilling to subject myself to her beliefs around such things. I'm impatient with people's prejudices....and lying.......and with repeated mistakes, I'm way too familiar with, myself. It feels completed for me. One learns the hard way. That's the way of these things. Not my rule.
We pass the rental house..... who's elderly owners sold without putting a for sale sign up. My father pops up, behind my eyes, and says "rat fockers." True, but prefer to say they were terrible neighbors who were not capable of being friends....to anyone.
Another street light....thinking about bats and bugs again.....think unkind thought about retired nurse's eventual funeral....."she wan enabler if creepy men to stalk her female neighbors.
:: immediately spill coffee on poop bag::.
I don't like being sticky or wasteful. I keep, and use the bag, getting sticky in both hands.
Back towards home and I imagine the gentle cadence of the morning with a loved one in hospice......
with a 2yo.....and how every interaction, with my girls, now feels like reaching back and touching lost moments from their childhoods...connecting.....filling in blanks. Not sure what the cost will be ....if any, but it's a sacred thing.... I view it with curiosity.
Yesterday morning, I made a yummy chicken salad samich for DD24...she had an early exam. She planned to have breakfast with her bf, but instead chose my sandwich. Hugged me from behind and said "I love you" first. It's always me....always been me, saying it first. It brought tears to my eyes.....
I held that moment....so precious.
I'll take that moment.....and DD24....DD at all ages, to the tomato garden...the bonfire, the swing set and dance with all the younger Lighters....the Amazons.........and Aunty P....loving us.......herself.....joining.....delighting in the joyful chatter and celebration of being in this world....awake and curious about what comes next.
Therapist leans towards my teaching/advocating.....still....
I remind her.... I'm not as saintly or, perhaps resilient as she is. She shared a bit about the struggle of facing so much darkness....guarding her self energy.
I can feel my DIM layers falling away. Or maybe I'm rising up. Leaving them below? They're going. Is all I know. I'm not more brittle, surprisingly. I'm standing in clarity....feels more . Trusting what I see without denial, ignorance and minimization....well. With much less....sometimes zero.
I step around so many things.... automatically.....I used to step into.
I have less time. I have more understanding of what I see. It's an easy thing. Comparatively speaking.....
clarity.....
knowing.
Right now.....the mission is healing and teaching my girls.....in this short window remaining......while they're exploring, choosing, learning, considering, trying on adulthood, inhabiting it ....losing their footing, gaining it back, etc.
When family is here....after Halloween....during..... I'll hunker down on the lake project. Not worrying about it.
Ungenerous thoughts cross my mind about familial interpersonal terrorists.....I choose compassion and hope karma didn't notice the bobble.
Contractor will be here soon.....maybe. If it's not raining, at his house, where a transmission awaits his attention.
He's waiting for his luck to change. One vehicle needs a transmission. He hit a yearling bear, lightly, but at the expense if their other truck, which is in the shop.....wondering, out loud, what he did to deserve his karma. And I can tell ....he believes.
Lighter