” Patience” for 2022

Dear Reader:

Yesterday was my usually ” dreaded” return to normalcy day …as all my decorations came down and were packed away for another year. But this year, instead of running a “maniacal” Post New Year’s Day clean-up marathon, I leisurely took my time and stopped to reminisce over gift ornaments, photos, cards, and other holiday paraphernalia that brought smiles to my face.

Take the Christmas tree for example. After I took off Ruthie the Angel and all the ornaments… I decided to leave the lights on ( title picture) for one more night to end the New Year’s weekend in peaceful serenity.

In fact I decided that as much as I loved my decorated Christmas tree-there is something about a tree with just white lights that sets a different ambience. ( title photo)

My gorgeous decorated tree I will keep in my memories but the plain tree with white lights in my heart.

As I took one ornament off I remembered Shelly Baker gave it to me in the millennium Christmas -2000! I loved it-especially since I had lost my mother about a month before Christmas-an ” It’s a small small world” concept! I treasure it Shelly!

As I took the Christmas wreath off the porch and put my ” Boo’s Blessings” plaque back up-” Big Red” seemed relieved and showed me how busy it had been over the holidays producing more buds and blooms to start off 2022 on the right note.

And talking about secret surprises… Honey told me that Tarshie and Ashley might be all grown up now but they missed not having Santa surprise them Christmas Eve so Honey and Mike pulled out the old Santa outfit for a friend who dog-sat for them and he showed up! Tarshie’s, Honey, and Ashley’s dogs went crazy happy and made everyone’s Christmas special! A Paw Claus memory!

Ralph Waldo Emerson once observed: “Adopt the pace of nature: Her secret is PATIENCE.”

I was given three examples of this yesterday

Big Red surprised me with her secret buds turned blooms ( earlier photo)

My bougainvillea that didn’t bloom all summer now has a bloom in January??? Patience!

Vickie helped remove Rutledge’s dead Japanese Maple and plant the new one I got from Hollowtree Nursery recently-I pray it patiently but steadily adapts to its new home !

Grow like your brothers and sisters Rutledge 🍁 Maple!

So until tomorrow …let’s all strive to be more patient in 2022 and let’s adopt the pace of nature-growing inwardly while reaching outwardly at the same time! Love, kindness, and understanding as the nutrients that keep us healthy!

Today is my favorite day! Winnie the Pooh

My beloved Lowcountry bids you a much blessed new year! Happy 2022 from ” Boo”!

About Becky Dingle

I was born a Tarheel but ended up a Sandlapper. My grandparents were cotton farmers in Laurens, South Carolina and it was in my grandmother’s house that my love of storytelling began beside an old Franklin stove. When I graduated from Laurens High School, I attended Erskine College (Due West of what?) and would later get my Masters Degree in Education/Social Studies from Charleston Southern. I am presently an adjunct professor/clinical supervisor at CSU and have also taught at the College of Charleston. For 28 years I taught Social Studies through storytelling. My philosophy matched Rudyard Kipling’s quote: “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Today I still spread this message through workshops and presentations throughout the state. The secret of success in teaching social studies is always in the story. I want to keep learning and being surprised by life…it is the greatest teacher. Like Kermit said, “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot.”

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