The Queen of Hearts

The Queen of Hearts

Well here we are again for another fabulous, frantic Holiday Season. Beginning the day after Halloween we are privy to holiday songs and the television and radio full of advertisements for the SALE OF THE YEAR. We go all out for Thanksgiving with a fantastic feast. I don’t know about you, but I burden the Thanksgiving table with everything my family and I love. This year I decided to omit the Butterball and try my butcher’s bird, all natural, no additives, farm grown. Turns out she was a tough old bird and stringy. Next year it’s back to Butterball. The sides are my favorite part of the meal. Corn pudding, mashed potatoes, string beans with almond slivers, waldorf salad, dressing, and, of course gravy…lots and lots of gravy. My fabulous daughter-in-law taught me the ultimate dessert for this feast…crushed Oreo pie crust filled with peppermint ice cream and fudge sauce poured generously over the whole kaboodle! Then, like the rest of the world, except for the clean-up crew, we collapse on the sofa and chairs and nap.

We spend a lot of time over the holidays being greatful for all the family…especially those who are in need of extra prayers. When you look at the world around us today its hard not to feel guilty with our abundance when so many people around the world are hungry, cold and homeless. I don’t know why so many parts of the world are at war with each other, trying to take over other countries. The pictures from Afganistan, a total disaster of our “help”, made me weep. And tear my hair out with anger towards our country’s politicians. I feel a sweep coming for the Congress in the next election. The desperation of the people trying to find a way out reminded me of Viet Nam, broke my heart and infuriated me! I could think of nothing else.

I had a heart attack in August of this year. It was not fun, but we are dealing with it. I’m not sure the high stress of the world didn’t contribute to the attack. Since then I have A-fib and when it appears I have to go to the hospital where the doctors stop and restart my heart. It’s called a cardiac conversion and when they are done I feel like a horse has kicked me in the chest for about a week. Then it’s back to what passes for”normal” for a 79 year old woman with congestive heart failure. It makes me wonder about the time I have left to complete all the things on my to do list. The main goal I have to work on is to be as kind and thoughtful towards others; to not judge others by their appearance or values that differ from mine. Everyone is a child of God and deserves my best effort to be kind. I say hello to people who pass me by and I compliment the exhausted mother in front of me who is wearing a spunky red hat!

I want to be so much better at kindness. It’s my goal for the Holidays and ever after. Since none of us know when our lives will be over, why not fill it with as much human kindness we can muster. I would love to be called the Queen of Hearts.

Have a wonderful holiday season and the best of the new year. Let’s work on this kindness thing.