What Do You Drink, and a Thank You

What Do You Drink and Thank You

We have had unusually hot weather for June and the beginning of July.  The lakes are dropping and cities are warning people that a ban on washing cars and watering lawns may soon be in effect.  After that the car washes may close and burning bans seriously curtailed fireworks use for those smart enough to listen.

I have been praying for rain.  The way I do it, it's hard to pray for rain from indoors.  I go outside and talk to the Earth, the Sun, the Winds and Water Woman, said by one Cherokee elder to be similar to Kwan Yin, bringing rain in her vase of compassion, too.  I can't speak out loud, of course, I have neighbors.  And in some places they lock you up for such things as my kind of prayers.  I talk about the needs of the fish in drying creeks, the thirst of the trees, the plants, the birds, and insects.  I acknowledge that without any of the elements I call we would all be dead.  No Sun, dead.  No Earth, dead, of course. No atmosphere, (sky) dead again.  And no water, dead.  Then I talk about the needs of all for water.  The cattle, the deer, squirrels, they All depend on water, just like we do.

I try to send my mind up into the sky, to touch the winds, Sun, and Sky with it and my request on the behalf of all needing water.

Last Tuesday it rained in a small location, which, thankfully, included me.  It was a hard short rain, about an hour, but the run-off will feed lakes, rivers, and streams.

Since then I've been trying to think of each bit of water I drink as Rain.  When I drink water I'm more apt to be careless with it.  Fill the cup and dump half of it back down the drain,run the water to rinse dishes instead of scrubbing out the sink and filling it with hot rinse water.

But when I drink Rain, I put into the cup only what I want to drink.  If there is a swallow or two extra, I drink it.  I try to remember how much rain I waste running water to rinse dishes, etc.

It makes a mental difference whether I drink water or Rain.

When it rains well I used to go outside and spin in a Happy Dance of Thanks! But now since I have moved after Ann's death, neighbors can see me.   Now I stand on my front stoop edge and stare straight up into the sky, smiling like I just won the lottery, and trying to touch the sky, the thunder and lightning, the clouds, and of course the Rain, with my relief, joy, and Thankfulness.

I thank the Sun for allowing the clouds to hide her so that we can all drink rain!  Since I don't talk or dance no one can call the authorities to take a look.  And if people stare, so what, I don't have to see them.  I don't know that it's logical, but when it is needed, I am Truly Joyful in the Rain.  And I don't know much about happiness. 

An important person in my life who has helped Ann and me, then just me, for two years is leaving regular visits to my house to go to a better job.  Yeah for Her!  I am truly Glad.

But it's a bit scary to lose a healthcare aide who has become a friend.  Wendi, I want to Thank you for your kindness, your laughter, your extremely hard work,your flexibility in helping me with everything from computer problems to showing me where someone's dog had made deposits in my yard so I could clean them up and Not have to find them the Hard way!  Thank you for sticking with me after Ann's unexpected death and for helping me set up a Great Memorial display of the things she did and loved at our rent house.  I haven't forgotten your work, sorting through Mountains of paperwork, (a job I Couldn't do) and pictures, which I couldn't see.  Thank you for delivering donations of Ann's things to people who had nothing.  You were a part of why I'm still as sane as I am.  Thank you for sharing hysterical E-mails, some of which I have kept.  You could have left after Ann died, but you stayed and took on Her work, like helping me pay bills, deal with print junk mail, and you helped me Find and put away things after I moved.  You have done so much more by just being You that it would take many pages to thank you properly for your cheerful taking on of so much hard work.

But since you do me the honor of reading this blog, I want to say the most Public Thank You I can.  It's not enough, but I cannot think of anything to do which Would be.

May you have happiness and the Best of fortunes!