I’m still here, walking on a gray sidewalk laced with tree branch shadows, carrying kale chips and a small quilt to a birthday brunch.
I’m still here. The cold winter air, which is not as cold as last week, brushes my face, rouging my cheeks.
I’m still here, walking in and out of the shadows of buildings, some of them new.
I’m still here, listening to a distant siren and wondering how and when this country will ever emerge from our current chaotic emergency.
I’m still here, listening to the rustling sound my parka makes as I walk.
I’m still here, with another birthday in the rearview mirror, wondering how many more there will be.
Some days I think: give away all the quilts, not just the bins of fabric, the ribbons, the beads, the glue sticks, the cut up and felted sweaters, but the quilts, the baby blankets, the pillows, the little felt mice. Give them all away!
I’m still here, noticing how the melt patterns from the snowbanks look like mountain ranges.
Walking past another series of razed buildings, I hear the winter sparrows. How they congregate! How they sing!
I’ll be 75 this week. What???
Reconsidering everything.
How is it possible, right?
Right…eek.
🩷🩷🩷
Dee~ So very glad you are “still here”! Love the visuals I get from your words and truly had to laugh when I got to the part about “giving it all away”!! That’s got me written all over it. haha In fact, just the past few days I got new ideas how to use up or use bits and pieces with things I already have, thus using it all up! I quipped to J. that by the time I go, there will be nothing left and if there is, it will have been glued, reused or stuck together in some way! lol
Funny how the birds adapt and still sing. We could learn from them.
Again, Happy Birthday wishes for the whole year through (and then we’ll start again!)
Thanks Nancy. You’ve been on a decluttering and giveaway kick for a while, haven’t you?
Yeah the birds are amazing. They’re also exemplary for having favorite spots to gather.
It seems like forever…how do I still have any stuff at all?!! haha
I loved the mice…..so much. Personality Plus.
Still here, why of course you are and we are blessed that you are. Happy Birthday Dee.
We women, some not yet 70, some mid 70’s, me, this year, one more year of 70…WE are still here and why not? The world needs our wisdom, our fierceness, our caring, our connective abilities, our creative endeavors, our WORDS, our example of how to live lives with meaning, We fare friends, partners, sisters, nieces, wives, some of us mothers, some of us grandmothers, all lovers of community and Democracy…
To all of us, I give love and my deepest affection,
For we are all aged to perfection!
A comment doubling as prayer.
(((Dee))) Shine On you crazy diamond as Pink Floyd sang such a long time ago… woke up to Mothers Little Helper this morning. A song that never really grabbed me back then but helped a lot today ha!
We all can use a little help, right? Thanks for chiming in, Mo. miss you
Loved that long post- and if you ever give away the mice- I would love to have one. They had-have- so much personality and spunk…..like you.
I’m way ahead of you. I just need an address. Email me okay?
congrats!
birthdays are great reminders
to celebrate, look back, well i don’t have to explain do i😘
yay to sharing your pieces, and maybe other stuff too (I’ve recently started giving the boys nice household items, we have more than enough as I’m an avid collector😉)
Saskia
All so true! – I am constantly thinking who will want all those quilts on my walls and on the shelves? They mean much to me – Daughter and son got already many. And all the other things in my room – my paradise! How long can I still work in there?! I still need those gadgets and fabrics and yarn and buttons, pencils, acqua paints … that’s what I think