“70 for 70”: Weekly Report Five
“70 for 70”: Weekly Report Five
As some of you know, I embarked on my “70 for 70” activities on the ramp-up to my 70th birthday on June 13, so this is my fifth Weekly Report on those activities. Please read the previous and upcoming posts for details on each week’s activities.
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May all beings benefit.
July 12
Today I babysat my 15-month-old granddaughter so her mom could attend a professional meeting online, as I have been doing every Friday since late June, and I am so delighted to be doing this. She is a treasure.
I also made some food to bring Monday: more meals for my wonderful healthcare provider, a gifted acupuncturist who has proven repeatedly that I am extremely fortunate to have found him and be working with him to heal old, physically stored traumas, and be currently healthier, both.
July 13
Talked with a long-time friend on the phone today about my mom’s passing, her mom’s failing health, her great adult children and their upcoming plans, and lots of other things. Great to catch up. Sent her some book and other recommendations afterwards.
July 14
Spent a lot of time on the phone last night and in a video call today discussing next steps and offering my experiences/advice for a friend’s friend’s career/job/possible live-in positions, and then got on to some very interesting topics and intersecting life experiences. May have made a new friend!
July 15
Brought the food I made (as part of my mourning period and good deeds) to my medical provider today, which should be enough for at least 2 and maybe 3 meals. Tuesday is the “long” day in which I fed him last week and he was very grateful. I hope he likes this week’s offerings.
I won’t be seeing him for two weeks, next, and probably won’t bring food unless he requests it.
July 16
I have been spending a lot of time alone these last two weeks, with my housemate and her kids out of town. Doing my meditations, swimming, cooking, resting, and, mostly, grieving.
Today, at the pool, someone was seemingly having a hard time, sitting on the stairs and looking very flushed. I asked her if she was all right, and she said she was, but then she wanted to talk. I listened. Turned out, she had recently suffered a loss. Her story brought me to tears and let hers flow. I explained my recent loss, and we bonded for a few minutes, two strangers, in grief and connection as humans. Sweet.
July 17
My son and his wife invited me to spend the day with them so I wouldn’t be alone all week, grieving, and I very much appreciated that. So, I went to their place after swimming in their local pool (one I used to swim in often when I visited them from Missouri).
My granddaughter is now 15.5 months old, and has suddenly (really, suddenly) gone from being a baby to being a toddler. She looks and acts so differently from just a few days ago. My DIL said this happened “over the weekend”! I was there last Friday, so from then to today is only 5 days! Amazing.
We had a great time together, just the two of us and with her parents, reading books, singing, dancing, playing with her toys, eating, walking around her house and on the beach at the park nearby, with lots of laughing, which is healing in itself.
When I was getting ready to leave, I told her “I love you,” and she said it back and gave me a hug! Sweetest, ever!
July 18
My housemate is coming back late tonight, and called me a few days ago to ask me to put her hiking boots outside for her BF to pick up on Friday. Somehow, I knew he would come sooner, so I put them out before I left yesterday. Sure enough, she called after I was already with my family to ask if I could put them out since he would be dropping by to get them Wednesday. “I already put them out,” I told her, “since i’m not there today.” She was relieved.
Today, I am cleaning up the house (already cleaned the bathroom), giving the refrigerator and kitchen and the living room (when they left, it was somewhat chaotic) a bit more attention, for her return.
