Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 10, 2024
** Lanterns On the Trail, was held on Sunday, March 3rd. For a 1st time event, we placed 150+ Lanterns sacks to honor and remember each person we hold dear. Registrations were received from many who could not attend, coast to coast. A wonderful “Lady” Bagpipe player opened and closed this special time. Inside the Keith House, there was music, inspiring wisdom quotes, a place to remember patients and families served by Project 4031 and volunteers to offer a helping hand. There were comments of those attending… “it was comforting, serene, and beautiful to be in this Place.” It seemed that each person had their own reason for attending and owning their memories and stories of love. Lots of gratitude this Sunday. I told Beth this may be my last Volunteer Lanyard for an event like this and I was proud to wear it!
- Midori Clark is the Fort Worth Library’s new Director. In a recent interview, Ms. Clark said, “we will always have shelves of books and we want the 18 community libraries to be places where people connect and come together. We are here to learn about what interests them.” The library network employs 240 staff, and the Libby online reading has increased 22% in 2 years. Pretty darn good!
** Life Questions for 2024: What are the words you need to hear from someone? What are the words someone is waiting to hear from you? What is a wise word you remember from even long ago that is still meaningful to you? Slow down, consider each question, and your answer.
- Health For People: Health research has shown 9,000 to 10,000 steps a day will reduce risk of early death by 40%. My phone has a step counter, if I remember to carry my phone. The message is All Movement Counts. Beth will remind me and is counting for herself, as well!
** The Hope & Healing Place, a Grief & Loss Center, Amarillo, is our true home. We are proud of HHP for sending staff and trained volunteers outward to smaller Panhandle families and ranchers who loss homes, cattle, and their dreams and hopes of tomorrow. HHP’s purpose and mission is being fulfilled in the telling, listening, and sharing of stories of loss, of restoring hope and of healing.
- Governer Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico has signed a “Public Health Emergency Order.” The Executive Order bans guns from voting sites, parks, playgrounds, and similar public areas in the New Mexico. The ban extends the waiting period for a new gun purchase to seven days. The Governer said, “It’s not safe out there.” No comment from my Texas Governer who believes in more guns, accepting the death count as part of the Texas gun culture.
A Prayer. Lord, we pray our ears, eyes, and hearts are open to fully hear, see, feel the pain, isolation, health scare, and life disappointments of so many people who are trying to make it in our world. Lord, encourage us to reach beyond our normal, soften us to reach out to others and to be touched by all. Lord, fill us with the encouragement and excitement of knowing the unknown of relationships and of faith that comforts all. And the people said, Amen.
Roy, open to others, open to you.
what I like to hear… ” I am grateful for your friendship”. what I tell others, ” I am grateful for your friendship”.. seems this one short phrase carries so much…
my mom told me years ago, after my grand dad and dad had died within 2 years of each other, ( I was 23 ), ” we have to take care of the old folk” . at that time she was referring specifically to my mam-ma.. I’ve grown to understand this encompasses us all.. we contribute and pay it forward..
I agree it is not safe out there. Leaving politics out of it…… when there is a gun ban, for instance, at a city park….. the only folks to abide by that ban are the law abiding folks.. ( common sense ).. the crazies, the drug folk, the criminals, will not abide by the law .. so.. in effect, the only persons affected by this ban are those law abiding citizens.. and you’re preventing them the option to be able to better protect themselves… the folks who shot up the KC parade, were gang bangers.. do you really believe they would have respected a gun ban at the parade.. really? Roy, I know you despise guns.. I respect your position.. but it ain’t the guns Roy…
Thanks much for the prayer.. after several years of effort have finally established myself in the Central Oregon Council for the aging.. I’m delivering meals on wheels and putting myself out there to help in anyway I can.. very rewarding… doing my best to make it a better place…. thanks for the letter Roy.. keep on writing.. md
Great read Roy! Sorry we missed the event last Sunday but proud to have contributed to its success.
Your request for words got my attention. But there are so many! Smart, common sense, consideration, common sense, sacrifice, common sense, common good, common sense, etc. With all due respect to your reader who says “it’s not the guns, Roy”, I would say it’s not the cars either, or the pills, or the drugs, and so on. Until people are smart enough, have respect and common sense, and control, there is nothing wrong with sacrificing a little for the common good, and at least register the damn things and require annual fees. But obviously there are some lives that are more valuable than others and must have the right to protect themselves at all costs, even the lives of innocents. The research on how well that “more guns make us all safer” is working hasn’t reached my desk yet.
And a double Amen to your prayer for today. Thanks for keeping us old folks young in heart, mind and soul. You and Beth are great examples for us all.
The Trails event was peaceful and pleasing.
People (125) came, stared at bags, told stories, shared lives.
What else is there?
Yes, my friend Mike will respond to any comments that mentions guns. He is consistent that way.
Reading Book of Joy (from the 2015 film on Joy. Every page teaches me, show me. Slow learner.
Best of wellness and happiness to and with you both……
Message: You are enough.
Repeat 7 times to reenforce.
I appreciate your allowing different thoughts into your mind spirit.
Can you imagine a world without guns? Opening my home page with 10 more gun deaths?
Other countries look at US as violent, accepting violence as normal.
Tis not.
I am writing more prayers as a writing style
Beest you way….
Smiled to myself reading about the 9000-10,000 step regimen that has been taken up by so many. Our nextdoor neighbor, who recently celebrated his late 80-
something birthday, attributes his vigor and clarity to four things: strong, black coffee, dark chocolate, red wine, and tai chi.
Beth is at Tai Chi 3 times weekly.
Working into my step counts.
So proud of HHP going to Panhandle fire damages small towns.
I will one more to your good list: Tell stories to each other….tis how we can know who we are and the other persons as well.
Roy
I wrote such an astute comment early this morning and obviously forgot to push send. Daylight savings time is not my friend. I will say “ Lantern’s on the Trail” was a moving experience for me. My husband has been gone for almost 20 years, but to see his name in print touched me to the core. Say their name, remember them with joy and share the memories with others. Beth and Roy are a blessing I was without for several years, time wasted for sure.
Beth and I are better as our friendship deepens and broadens to include more and more our daily lives, both then and now.
adjustment. healing, new experiences are a part of we 3.
This is good…..Roy
Roy’s particular grace is to remind us we humans have a higher purpose. Rabbi Hillel says “If we are not for ourselves, who will be? If we are only for ourselves, who are we? If not now, when?”
Like pages of a book, we are glued together on one side, free to fly on the other.
What’s your grace, your higher purpose?
George, I continue to shred, toss aside the I/me for higher purpose of you, all those around me, both known and unknown.
I like Tutu’s morning rising with compassion, generosity, and energy.
Thoughts this Monday AM for and with Jerry abd gallbladder surgery.
Did you know Como neighborhood had a tall fence around it 1945 — to early 60’s????
Message, you can be my maid and maybe serve my plate, but you live behind that wall….don’t see you or know you.
I am meeting with FW History Library Tuesday.
Travel easy and safe……& appreciation for your kind words.
Roy
Roy, thank you for your words and your actions. The trails event was a most soulful event filled with a moment for reflection and a time to find peace within oneself. The expression of love, peace and understanding seems to be a more powerful instrument to solve the ills of this world and the distress within our soul. It’s been identified we are no longer increasing our life expectancy in the USA and statistics seem to show children are finding it difficult to find a reason to continue life. I think there are options more powerful than that of the sword. We seem to be losing our battles with “weapons of steel”. PEACE………….
Peter, your comments about calm and serene most welcomed.
Beth is the major hero and contributor to the us that is us.
The reconnect with you so important. Your thoughtful living and health also important.
And now, Tuesday meditation together. I look forward to our time and words Thursday morning.
Peace, healing, and friendship……..Roy
Roy and Beth, I look forward to our time together tomorrow………
Thanks for the comments Frank, I’ll not debate you and your mind reading abilities, on the value I place on innocent lives. I do respect your input. Happy Sunday.