The tea cup warms my hands as I sink back into the leather recliner and snuggle my feet under a fleece blanket. The only light comes from the lava lamp on the mantel and the faint glow of the skyscrapers across the way. There are no sounds at all. Branches make a sumi painting of … read more The quiet hours
Tag: mindfulness
Lost in the snow
Nothing around me is familiar. Only one house is visible, far in the distance. The street I crossed a few minutes before was unmarked. I followed an old road bed up into the woods until it stopped dead. Nothing now but snow, trees, shadows, and silence. A perfect afternoon to be lost. Though the temperature was … read more Lost in the snow
Walk in the water
I woke up to gray and I watched the rain and I was glad. Remembering all those months of drought, when I wanted so much just to feel the rain. Today I soaked in it. I walked the city with a casual hand on the umbrella and felt my clothes slowly get saturated. I watched the rain make … read more Walk in the water
The 12 gifts of Christmas
Tom and I don’t usually buy each other presents for Christmas. But today I got at least a dozen gifts. Wahoo! What a haul! The first gift came at 7 a.m. when I woke up and got out of bed. I didn’t die 13 months ago, but even better, my brain is working again. That’s a gift … read more The 12 gifts of Christmas
Toe socks
Shut your eyes. Consider your toes for a moment. Can you even do it? Or, like me, do you have trouble visualizing your toes? Or shrink from the very thought because you believe feet are ugly? Take off your shoes and socks, right now. Have a good look at those toes. They’re funny and small … read more Toe socks
A cat named Daisy
I’m home in the mountains, and I took a walk. It was 32 degrees at 5 o’clock. I came up a hill and saw a black animal dashing across the road far ahead. I thought it was a dog. When I got to the corner, I saw that it was a cat. A fat black … read more A cat named Daisy
Taking a shower
Tom startled me by confessing he’d taken a shower. By himself. Those of us who haven’t had a stroke take a shower every day, without thinking about it. For Tom, this accomplishment is real cause for celebration. It’s made up of so many individual accomplishments, each of which took hours of therapy and exercise to perfect. First, being … read more Taking a shower
Simple pleasures
This little piggy went to rehab. This little piggy went home. This little piggy had salmon, this little piggy had none … And THIS little piggy went “wheeee wheeee wheee wheeee wheeeeee!” All the way home. Since the stroke, Tom can’t flex the toes or upper part of his right foot. So I manipulate his … read more Simple pleasures
Losing traction
When I climbed the mountain trail last Thursday, my time was even faster than the previous week – 45 minutes up! And 31 minutes down. I was pushing, almost running in places, and the temperature was almost 90 degrees, so I was soaked with sweat. I remember having a funny feeling on my foot on … read more Losing traction
Little plastic things
Today I had to do the chore I hate: cleaning before the cleaners. You know, where you go around and pick up all the crap that is lying around your house, before the cleaners come in, so that they can get to the surfaces that need to be cleaned. In between putting clothes away and breaking … read more Little plastic things