Connecting With My Community

Yummm!  I had this today. Tom Yum soup. Have you had it? It's Thai.

My gratitudes for Sunday:

1. Saturday's weather was glorious, even though I got burnt  around the neck, while involved with a garage sale.
2. I had fun connecting with those in my community. People dropped by yesterday's garage sale and checked out the treasure splayed out upon the lawn, driveway and sidewalk. As bad as the news media talks about what man does towards others, I found those that dropped by yesterday to be kind, loving,
warm, friendly. And, they were all strangers to me. Mankind frequently demonstrate wonderful attributes, where courtesy, respect and kindness shine through, even in seemingly routine events, making them not so mundane.
   a. It was fun teasing fourth grade girls who were buying stuffed animals. I told the group of girls, "The animals are $3.00 each but you can have them for a buck each, if you buy them in the next 15 minutes."  The resultant earnestness on their faces, as they feverishly perused more than 50 different stuffed animals, was hilarious.
   b. I enjoyed talking with a mom and her four year old son who had blonde ringlets. She shared her despair about her son going to pre-school soon, and how he's growing up, so quickly. I know. Mine are in college or looking for work. How quickly they grow. What a joy it is, the close relationship I share with them.
   c.  I spoke to customers in addition to English, I used Tagalog, Spanish, Chinese. I enjoyed the surprised looks on their faces, when we started talking.
   d. I thought it curious, when one fellow, trying on some running shoes asked me to get him a job. He didn't even know me, I didn't know him. Yet, he expected me to help him. Thank God for boundaries.
   e.  I enjoyed moments when I sat down and hung out with two friends who put the event together. Aristotle was right when he said you can know more about a person in one hour of play----the sale was fun----than you would in one year of conversation. I got to know A______ and M_____ a lot better. I had never done a garage sale before yesterday.
  f. I'm thankful for a strong back and strong arms.I was glad to help those running the event and those needing help putting items in their pickup trucks.
  g. I'm happy the sale is over!
  h.  It touched my heart seeing many parents loving their little ones, tenderly attentive to their children.
3. I'm happy I spend this day with my sons. We'll also spend Monday together, too. We'll go hiking, fire off rockets and enjoy time together as a family.
4. I enjoyed my time with a friend, this afternoon. It didn't hurt that we ate Thai food.
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      In the evening, I took in a SF Giants baseball game. It was a wonderful tonic. After a busy and physical day, watching baseball slows me down, allows me to decompress. The game reminds me of my days playing little league during the summer. (I played Centerfield---I could run, later did so in high school--- and covered a lot ground. Sometimes I pitched and played Shortstop, a demanding position.) While watching my team, memories flood back to yesteryear, when life was slower, simpler and tranquil. The crack of a bat striking the ball, the resultant roar of the crowd, the slow pace of the game, helps center me, in what could be a frenetic lifestyle, if I'm not careful.

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    Good night everyone, remember to thank your father this Father's Day. Recently, have you told him that you love him? You can do so, even if he's not around. You can thank him in your prayers. I know about doing this. My father died almost four years ago, from cancer.

      Please help me keep this inn open today. You do so, with your posts. I will not be around--- I'll be busy enjoying time with my sons. Here's to a wonderful Father's Day!