Yeah, Christmas is over

What a relief. I don't have to worry about celebrating this non-holiday for another 365 days. Sadly, it's become such a mish mash of everything that is nothing at all. A dark hole on the calendar where peace, love and joy are supposed to reign and overcome all, but such high expectations are headed for failure. Big time.

The birth of Christ, now that's something. But it has all been washed away in the end of the year buying frenzy. If only all we celebrated was the birth of Christ in a manger in the Middle East. If only there really were three wisemen led by a bright star in the sky to a barn of animals. If only. But like everything else, it is too good to be true. And yet the myth lives on.

I think a better way to celebrate the birth of Christ is to spread it out over the year, like pieces of bread on a trail so that others can find you. The hype, the anticipation, the letdown. If what we are supposed to do is show others love, why do we expect to cram it all in one day? Wouldn't it be better to give occassional gentle reminders? I hope that's what my life is an example of, the goodness of the moment.

Yesterday, and every day that I go home my dad has selected a book for me. Many gifts of books over the year, many little times that he thinks of me, and acts on it without any expection that I will return the gift. That's Christmas. The unexpected, the thoughtful, the meaningful gestures. Anything that is expected is not a gift. This year, I sent money to Everett Gospel Mission, a book to Tom and Laura, a magazine subscription to Amy and a jar of precious apricot jam to my neighbor Stacia. Small tokens of appreciation and grace expecting nothing in return.

Thankfully, now I can begin to enjoy the winter, the cold, the quiet, the peaceful days. The weight of Christmas farce has been lifted. Two little doggies wait patiently by the door. Their thick coats keep them warm in the 30 degree weather. The anticipate that any moment will be the moment that I open the door. I like to see them getting along, sitting inches apart, with the same thought on their minds, "can I come in?" There's nothing for them inside. Outside is a yard full of wonder and amusement. Luna doesn't think so. A warm house means everything to her. Carly is happy to absorb the sun's winter rays while doing her best yoga pose. Outside is the best place for a dog to be.

Plants are my weakness

Today I spent $65 on plants.

Yep, I really needed a new pair of hiking boots, but I didn't even blink as I wrote the check for the plants, thinking about all the pleasure I'll have planting them and watching them grow. I surrender to this weakness because I'm writing a check to a non-profit group, whose volunteer efforts drive the propagation and sale of the plants. It's a very worthy group to support and I do with at least $200 per year.

Next month, the group is offering a propogation class to teach techniques on collecting seeds and proprogating cuttings; both things I already do, but want to do better. Granted, many of the plants won't make it, the seeds may not germinate, the plants may get eaten by slugs (so that's where all my purple coneflower went) and I may accidently kill the rest. No matter. I will still buy plants. My hiking shoes will rip and tear and become completely useless and embarrassing to wear, but at least I will have plants growing, blooming and supporting our fragile ecosystem for years to come. I will delight in a yard surrounded by hundreds of plants and the little critters that depend on them for survival. I don't really need a new pair of hiking shoes, they all wear out and become useless. Plants are never useless. They always serve a vital, valuable purpose to my life

People will comment

Lately, there's been a lot of commenting in my life. Three weeks ago, I made an off hand comment to a neighbor about her unattractive yard waste pile that I can view from my back yard because her yard is higher (see picture). When I arrived home later that evening, I was surprised to have a long-winded message from her stating how much my comment had offended her. OMG. I drove to work that morning pissed off at her ignorance for not caring about my having to look at a pile of weeds. In her diatribe, she declared that all the neighbors think my yard is a pile of weeds. Well, that's native habitat for you.

My yard is an assortment of native plants and trees that were put there to be used by wildlife. Her yard is an assortment of bushes and trees sculpted beyond necessity to resemble bottle brushes. Her pruning should be illegal. More like hacking away at branches until the trees no longer resemble living things. Needless to say, we are not speaking. I don't mind really. No more playing nice-nice with her. We had little in common anyway. I'm content to keep to myself.

As ridiculous as this incident has been, I've noticed that people make all sorts of comments to one another, few are meant to do harm or hurt, but it's just people speaking honestly, saying what they are thinking. People should be allowed and encouraged to say what they feel. I'm allowed to say what I did, as well as she's allowed to reply. Maybe if she had said it to me, instead of my answering machine, I could at least have said I didn't mean in the way she took it. I think back to loads of comments I've made, inadvertent and in conversation, that if taken the wrong way, may have hurt someone. But it wasn't intentional. And I needn't apologize for something that was not meant to hurt. A thick skin and a good self image could go a long way in reducing bitterness between people.

Last week, I told a couple girls in yoga that either the studio is a quiet room and if they wanted to chatter, they could go to the hall. The were set to spend 10 minutes before class chatting it up in front of the mirror. There are signs requiring silence in the yoga room. Then today, I was asked to move my mat over to make room. But I had placed my mat exactly between two other mats, following the rules. The person who asked is a local rock star (big in his own mind) and even though he could have moved his mat over, he chose to comand me to do it. I refused, saying I didn't want to be behind another person. He said "Well, if you say so," and went back to his mat.

I hate that all of these incidents happened and wonder could have been done differently. The most important thing is not to make a big deal of it, and to move on with life. The fact is, life is precarious, it's always shifting and one never knows what kind of day another is having. So, we just have to go with it, calmly, patiently, lovingly.

Kitty Acupuncture

Today was our first acupuncture visit. Not mine, but Maisey's. Two weeks ago, she dislocated her tail right below the sacrum. At first she just hopped around and could not pee. But gradually, over the next days, she regained more use of her legs, started pushing pressure on her right one, which had muscle spawms as well a a little cut. Finally, she peed on her own a couple nights ago, after I nearly perfected the art of squeezing a kitty bladder. I had no idea how acupunture would go. I was familiar with it as an ancient Chinese medicine and people had told me how it helps animals to heal. So we tried it. First we calmed her down, petting and "nervous" purring, following by one needle into the back of her head. Then 4 more needles at other "meridians" along her spine. The vet said that since cats are very sensitive creatures, it's hard to tell how they will react or how many needles can be inserted. Maisey took it very well. It was clear that emotionally, 5 needles was all she needed to release the energy and the pain in her spine. So we stopped there and just continued to stroke and massage for a while. She wanted to curl up on my lap and bury her face in my legs, all the while "making muffins" with her paws. I really liked the vet and am excited to go back to her next week. If this does nothing but takes away some of Maisey's pain and helps her heal better, that's all I can ask for. If the injury is permanent, we may have to amputate her tail, as it just droops along her backside and gets caught between her legs. But that decision won't be made today. Hurray for alternative medicine!