Blowing way some cobwebs in the warm autumn sunshine, a chance to take a breath and just appreciate the beauty of the glorious golden ginkos, some still green and others already completely bare. Autumn always seems so fragile in its beauty and so brief, but all through the chill of winter you have the hope of spring for new growth. Life goes on through all the changes of the seasons.
My dear friend Barney passed away peacefully Saturday evening. A very special character who lived a full, happy and long life. It’s been hard to go from him filling every waking moment to him being gone, but harder still right now is not knowing if there will be a farewell. As we go into level 2 gatherings of 10 people is just not enough, Barney touched so many lives and so many people have called and asked if the can come to his life celebration. Here’s hoping that if pubs open and they can have more than 10 then maybe we just take over a pub!
There is just something about a tidy redwood forest with huge trees and no tourists.
It’s hard to update this post but perhaps time…. the concept of going to the gate at 6am initially was something that I didn’t think I would bother with. Then after I saw the effort everyone was going to to make Anzac wreaths and poppies of all shapes and sizes I thought since Barney couldn’t be up at that time I would make the effort. Walking down in the dark and seeing neighbours all down the street just standing there and watching the dawn was probably the most special poignant Anzac I have ever experienced. Later in the afternoon Barney put on his medals and marched down the street with his walker in the sunshine.
That was his last walk outside.. he is now under hospice care as his cancer suddenly decided it was time. They think he has very little time left and I can only appreciate the wonderful care they are giving him that allows him to spend his last moments at home. It’s not long now and it’s harder than I ever thought it would be.
Barney is an avid race watcher and we have fun with our virtual bets and all visitors join in. The shutdown of NZ racing has been a blow but fortunately the Aussies have been keeping him entertained. We asked him what he would call a racehorse if he had the chance and his answer was Bugitifino I think that would be a perfect horse name 👍. So much fun making up horse names and our next favourite was Tarawera Tiger.
technical difficulties … I have written and saved this post 3 times and every time I go back to check it has gone – ghost post… sigh
So lucky to have such stunning places to walk during the shutdown, just so long as they don’t notice you jump over a couple of inconvenient fences 😁
Standing strong, loving the peaceful walks without traffic and seeing families out walking together. Staying in touch with my oldies and taking time to have mornings to just appreciate the change of seasons. Watching out for teddies in the windows and it’s fun to see just how many there are. If we take this time to sift through the confusion and reaction to find the path to appreciation for what is truely important when busy is gone then this will be a time we will look back on as something that changed our perspective and priorities, hopefully in a meaningful way. Right now with no carers coming I am loving pushing wake up time a just little later everyday 😁😎
I have always felt that the answers for what we see before us now are not with the solutions we have always looked to but with some leaps of faith will take to take us to a new normal.. this is from my inspirational niece who is an amazing author and thought leader………Imagine if on the other side of this we find ourselves in a world that is utterly changed. The virus was the end of the world as we knew it, but it was not the end of us. We had been asking, begging, protesting in the streets for governments to act. We prayed for disruption to the normal endless cycle of greed and capital and consumption. It came, and it was brutal, but it taught us that we didn’t need all the things they sold us. Losing the ability to touch and be with each other reminded us of what really mattered and we let it change us. As we look back on that time, we feel grief for all that we lost – a way of life that can never be again. But there is also gratitude. Our children have fresh air to breathe. Our planet is healing. We are learning to live with compassion and heal our own hearts. Fear no longer rules our world. We stand powerfully in our commitment to love and kindness because we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that these two things are essential to our survival.
The Traveling Kiwi 