Tapestry of Your Life

I once heard someone describe our lives as a beautiful tapestry. He went on to say each thread is interwoven and may circle back with a purpose and each is put in by design

creating a colorful legacy. I rather like this imagery description of our existence here on earth.  Are we not each a master of all the images we are creating of our lives?

So what kind of tapestry are you creating?  I think the colors should be vast and variegated. Life should not be mundane or there is no growth.  A picture is captivating in black and white but a tapestry draws no attention without color. Your live should be colorful and eye-appealing if reviewed in full.

Draw outside of the lines. Conformity is entirely too overrated. Why make the picture of you look like everyone else?  I always told my children dare to be different. Be the one that stands out in a crowd. We all have a destiny. Discover yours and fill it. You can’t if you do nothing but always walk rank and file.

Dare yourself to take risks.  This is when new threads begin in the tapestry of your life.  These are the ah-ha moments that give your existence a new dimension.  It doesn’t matter if it is a new career,  a new sport, or a challenge but sometimes do the things no one things you are capable of.  Believe in you. Life is only one shot so give yourself that chance if you think it is worth taking. Passion is a hunger that should be quenched!

Don’t close the door to the past simply because it is over.  That fabric is part of your make up; it is in your tapestry and is part of your beauty with its joys and sorrows.  It is to be celebrated because it has made you part of who you are and the life you are now living.   The threads are critical to the image!

God sees our lives as a beautiful tapestry from above that we weave of our own freewill. Our choices are the ebb and flow of the wave of colors and the overall look and feel of the final image.  Additions in your life may very well be thread changes so don’t settle for staying idle, never moving forward or outward at all.

 As you move through your life, ask yourself, is there color in your life? Do you allow change and growth opportunities or do you run from a challenge that forces you to grow or become more passionate?  Do you allow any new threads to intertwine?  Do you smother the flames of any sort of passion outside your comfort zone?  

Live your life to the fullest but, define it with your own definition of greatness, not someone else’s.  Most importantly, make your tapestry a masterpiece.  It should reflect the legacy of a life fully embraced with  your passion that shows the world you alone could only create this wonderful tapestry! Get to work!  

Patience Sometimes Take Humility

“Patience is the companion of wisdom,” Saint Augustine said.  I was reminded that lesson today.  God is amazing that He reminds us of the truly important lessons in life in the simplest of gestures. Watch, wait and listen with a happy heart and good things come to pass to those who wait!

As I was out today, trying to quickly do some returns in the store and pick up a few needed items, I was getting rather annoyed as no one seemed to be present at any single register. Everywhere I went I was greeted with This Register is Closed displayed in black and white like a HaHa sign aimed right at me; you are wasting your time lady. I would have left but I had a return bag in my hand from an online purchase I wanted to get off my charge card.

Finally I saw a register open with a lady at it and as I  approached I noticed only one customer at the counter. As I congratulated myself on my good luck, my hopes were quickly dashed. Walking closer, this woman had the dreaded massive overload cart of too many items to count!  And she looked to me to be Miss High Maintenance.  I was in no mood for this and was hoping she would turn around, make eye contact with me and say, go ahead of me.

Well, she did turn around and look at me but the words she uttered were “I am sorry for the wait this may be.”  Oh, I felt like she had smacked me, just like those darn signs that said Register Closed. What was this, conspiracy day against Veronica Gliatti at the retail store or what?  Should I wait or should I go? 

Out comes my cell, my BFF when stuck in a slow moving line. I knew I was not going anywhere quickly. And then, to my surprise, one pair of shoes after 

another were placed on the counter. With each pair the customer insisted the cashier check each shoe to ensure the size matched the size marked on the outside box label and each shoe pair were the same, in size and style!  All I could think off, while watching this transpire out of the corner of my eye was why she could not have done this prior to coming to the checkout line! 

As this progressed, there was some discussion going on about the shoes I did not even want to hear as my frustration grew!  There were big shoes, little shoes, male shoes, female shoes, kids shoes, all clearance but I kept thinking what the hell lady, did you buy every damn pair in the store! 

At one point, the cashier actually asked her, in hushed tones, but it caught my ear, if she wanted her to call someone to get matching sizes of pairs that were incorrectly matched. I just about lost it by then, keying into my phone to my best friend my anger. What the hell is wrong with today, I asked?  Is it storming outside bad luck?  I am behind a moron shoe fetish lady!  Help me; I will need heeling after this!  If the cashier left the register to retrieve matchy sizes and shoes going to the shoe department I was determined I would consider leaving. That was where my battle line would have to be drawn.

Luck was on my side and apparently the lady said what she had that matched would suffice. There was a Shoe God! Eventually this sale was over, along with about 20 pairs of shoes  and the lady turned around, politely,  probably sensing my frustration and again apologized for taking up so much time. I naturally told her it was fine. I even said, it is a pain to get home with shoes that don’t match in sizes.  I thought, especially a whole wardrobe of them!

As the lady left, the cashier leaned across the counter towards me. She said “I was really sorry for the long wait. I wonder if you knew what she was doing and why the matching mattered.” I was about ready to respond with a curtly, “Why didn’t she check them herself” but before I could the cashier continued speaking. “That woman is mailing all of those shoes out of the country to Puerto Rico to hurricane victims. She got sizes for victims in need. Isn’t that wonderful!"

Right then and there, my sense of humility kicked in big time.  I had been so busy worrying about my sense of time, my sense of purpose, returning some dumb item that I had not even bothered to think perhaps what someone else was doing in front of me had a far greater purpose.

Too often we have people come into our lives that are meant to touch us in very special ways. We are given the chance to embrace these opportunities and must be patient about what the lesson is. We have to give it time, it may not be able to be rushed and be on God's timeline, not ours. The message may be so worth it, so valuable, so life-changing. Is it worth not learning, not taking the chance?  Dare to find out with a bit of patience. And, just like the shoes, our souls always need some healing.  

God bless the people in Puerto Rico as they continue to heal! 

Transpose Me God

Today at church our priest asked a question. "What are the moments in our lives that

transpose us?"  What events occur that make us change significantly in ways we can never return back to who we were before?  Are they happy or sad events or both?

Reflecting on this, initially no one reacted.  He had to pump ideas into the congregation"s head. "Surely someone has had a child."  That got the wheels turning and the ideas flowing, shouts began one after another.

When something happens in our life very good, it is easy, initially, to assume it had something to do with us. However, upon reflection, we must recognize it is by divine grace of God we are given blessings, much as we are given life. Many babies are never born, dying in the womb not seeing the light of day. You being here is a miracle.  Thus that is transposing to all those that know you and whose lives you touch. Are you making the most of those experiences, impacting others lives in a positive way, lifting people up so as to help them achieve their greatness?

We are also transposed when we commit to relationships, such as marriage and deep abiding friendships.  Honoring relationships is keeping them sacred, prime importance in your life above all else. Do you protect other’s love, trying to minimize pain or do you take it for granted? We are to cherish each other's love and feelings as if they were our own.  We should be a shoulder to cry on for each other and be there in times of sorrow and need, in good times and in bad. Can we not celebrate and cheer each other on as we are all children of God? In doing so, our lives and others should and would forever be changed.

We are also transposed, as Father pointed out, very much by sad events, such as the death of a child. It truly tests  our faith. Hearing the word cancer, said in relation to us, or any life limiting disease transposes us as we now face our own mortality firsthand. We must face the inevitable and deal with it in a real way. With this realization comes the process of acceptance of  God as our savior if we are to have peace and serenity approaching death. Understanding that the path of Jesus's resurrection leads to life will help not only us but the loved ones we leave behind.

Being shut out of loved ones lives is the reality of many Christians, such as in divorce or families falling apart. It is never easy to let go of ones you love but sometimes the signs are there that you are no longer wanted.  Fighting it will not change the outcome.  Transposition is not always something we want to embrace but with God's help, we can successfully. 

As Christians we do not create our own life’s plans, we walk in God’s divine plan and make the best choices we can with our daily steps. Accept defeat with grace and those that persecute you, let them be. You must be right with God in the end, that is what matters most. The Lord is with you always, keep an open heart to those that love you unconditionally.  

As our Priest said today, only with transposing oneself can a Christian truly grow. We need moments that stop us in our tracks, both good and bad episodes, that affect us in a way we will never be the same. That is called living a rich full life.  The price of this is that you will have times that will shake you to the core and bring you to your knees in sorrow.

Anything less than this, though, is half living. And wishing it weren't is taking the miracle of life for granted. So don’t be frightened when you find yourself looking in the mirror and seeing yourself change. That simply means you have lived, you have embraced and you have allowed God to work through you!  Amen. 

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After communion, I looked around and bent my head down, reflecting on how blessed I am to be at such a beautiful loving church. Inspite of all that I miss in my life, I can feel, every single time I attend Mass every week here my Grandmother in heaven watching me. She was a devout Catholic, who I use to watch pray the rosary and talk to me about her faith. I know she is proud of me for converting to Catholism and practicing the faith that was so much a part of who she was. 

And yes, Grandma, my faith, your beautiful Catholic Church has transposed me too!

Grandsons' Growth Spurts

I sometimes forget how much my grandsons are growing up.  Having them overnight this weekend, I am overjoyed at their changes. It is as if every time we see them, there is something new to uncover in their development. And yet we fully know the next time, there will be more to discover.   

What a joy to be able to still see the pure happiness as simply getting attention from us,

their grandparents! Nobody else, but our dog, reacts quite that way to being around us. It so reminds me of the love and happiness I felt so many years ago on those nights I spent with my Grandma Gliatti.  She gave such undivided attention to her grand kids that it made each of us feels, at times, as if we were her favorite.   

The two boys, just like my cousins, Ty and Jake are as different as day and night.  And their preferences of which of my husband and I’s attention they lean towards are too.  The younger one is all about his Grandpa Jim.  Jake will try to taste anything on his grandpa’s plate, wants him sitting next to him every minute of the day and just can’t seem to get enough of his attention.   The admiration is adorable to watch.  Jim is so mild mannered and this little boy is so exuberant around him! With grandpa, the answer always seems to be yes, he can’t easily say no to someone so darn cute!  Jake wants on his lap and wants him laughing all the time and proud of who he is.  And his grandpa is, extremely proud of who Jake is developing into! When he comes to grandma, I take the backseat. 

 Ty, the older of the two, seems more sensitive- natured, like my son was as a young child.  He is attuned to Grandma.  He will listen to pretty much anything I say if he needs corrected. If Grandpa wants him to do anything, he will listen but his preference is always me. He will come up on a whim and love on me, make me put my arms around him and smile his engaging way that melts my heart.  He listens so well, obeys instructions one time stated and wants to always check on where I am at in the house.


  One of the biggest changes we saw is the sibling rivalry, the boys tufts.  As grandparents, it should be rather annoying, the arguing.  For some reason, it is somewhat amusing.  We

know, from watching their parents, they don’t always intervene.  How amazing that already we are seeing their ability to work some issues out on their own.  We looked at each other as if to ask, how did that happen?  Mind you, this was not an occurrence every time!   Watching a 4 and 5 year old argue is educational as their verbal and reasoning skills are not quite up to par. But it is a reminder of the importance of conflict resolution and how it is experimented first at home as a youngster, so normal that we all go through it.   


At times, they can fight and be unrelenting in their demands. Other times, they totally acquiesce to each other.  And in the middle is our 115 lb. dog who had no idea what to make of it.  He backs away so as not to get caught up in the battle.  We think Charley was afraid to take sides because he just loves them both so much.   But he stays close by because he does not want anyone to get hurt or see anyone cry.


  We have no idea why but at this stage in our grandson’s development, they can ward off our

dog fine on their own.  We are baffled at how that happened.  It seems like just yesterday we were still yelling at Charley go leave them alone or locking him in the bedroom as their food is within his snout’s reach. 


 This visit, both boys let him have it if he got near their food.  Charley even seemed to he sense these big boys were not going to take it from him.  They each have their own style but they reprimanded him themselves and he acted as if he was shamed and would quietly retreat, eventually laying down.   His disappointment over our grandsons calling the shots was evident in his demeanor.   No more easy fixings on food.

  No matter what goes on in our lives, their laughter makes the world seem brighter.  There really is nothing more rewarding than being around children that you know come from a loving home and are getting fostered in a way that lets their personality shine through. Jake and Ty have that, all that and more.  The joy they feel in living is contagious and shows in every move they make.  Children need and thrive in loving homes and environments.  All of us can affect children and the future by helping stimulate that vibe in children we come in contact with whether we are related to them or not.   Do your part, be attentive to a child. 

  
P.S. Surviving cancer gave me this opportunity, to be a grandmother.  Not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for that blessing.  I hope I leave my grandchildren with wonderful memories like my grandmother gave me.