Toils and Trouble

Sometimes in life you make a judgment call with the best of intentions, to help someone or to foster goodwill, and it all goes wrong. Sometimes a friend will tell others their version of what you did and then no amount of explaining on your part will make things right.  This leads to discouragement as you realize that the thing you did last is the only thing that counts and that not all of your friends really are.

So, the best course of action in any group or work situation is to just follow the rules to a T (as long as they are not immoral, illegal or unethical), maintain a cordial, gentle aloofness in your friendships, and keep your mouth shut as much as possible.  Not the happiest way to live, but if you're going to be hung on the gallows at least it will most likely be for a major crime and not for a victimless misdemeanor.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled, at-home, no-one-judging-or-watching, creative, sewing and baking activities!

What REALLY Matters...

I was going to post some pictures of the cookies I've been making.  Then I came across this blog quite by accident (God-directed?) and I have quite a lot of other things to think about.  Here.  You read it.  Go ahead.  It might start a change in all of us who read it, if our hearts aren't too world-hardened already.

http://allthingshendrick.blogspot.com/

Another Phone Call...

My friend Jan from Washington State called to give me the sad news that my friend Ginger passed away last Monday.  I am grateful that Jan thought of me, knew I needed to know, and graciously took on the hard job of delivering the painful message.  It was a blessing to hear it from a friend.

Ginger would have been 45 this December...just a year older than my own daughter.  She started out as my boss and wound up being my friend.  She was a whirlwind of energy and paradoxes, a Phd and avid square dancer, a positive, relentless torrent of ideas, interests and projects.  Ginger lived all aspects of her life Ginger's way.  She wasn't mean or belligerent or arrogant; she was persistent and knew how she wanted things to be.  There were no walls or obstacles in Ginger's world; she simply went another way.  She loved to have mementos of her friends in her home, commissioning special pieces from the metal-worker or seamstress or jewelry-maker or woodworker or quilter...no matter how small the item or how little its value, she displayed them all.  Her bright mop of curly red hair and startlingly violet eyes made her someone you would not soon forget.  She was unusual, vibrant, unsettling, disarming, fun to be around and a force of nature.  When Ginger came into your life, she CAME INTO your life and, regardless of how you felt about her (good or bad) you could not ignore her. 

Even though we didn't see each other often I shall miss her very much.  Her courage to be herself regardless of the consequences drew me to her.  She lived honestly and courageously and she believed in people.  That was her gift.  Because of her example I will strive to live less concerned about what others think and more attuned to what really matters and what is true.  Thank you Ginger.  You will be my friend for as long as I live.