A ” Thank You” for Life!

Dear Reader:

Mother Nature sent me the most marvelous gift for my birthday yesterday – Fall Weather! It is a rare gift… since in the Lowcountry we usually have to wait weeks after Fall officially falls… for summer to finally surrender.

This year, when I woke up to cool fresh breezes … it was truly exhilarating! I wanted to hug every plant and flower in the gardens! I had never felt so alive or so appreciative of life!

“You’ve Come a Long WayBaby!”

It takes a John O’Donahue poet to put my scrambled feelings into beautiful prose.

” For My Birthday” ( First Stanza)

” Blessed be the mind that dreams the day… the blueprint of your life… would begin to glow on earth. Illuminating all the faces and voices that would arrive to invite your soul to growth.”

I am so aware of all the other ” travelers” along my path whom I have encountered for long and short stays… everyone making an imprint on my life and leaving a footstep to help me find my own path. To all of you ” Thank you” from the bottom of my heart!!!

Anne sent me a memory picture from Maine that yesterday’s autumn artwork reminded her of from our Maine Adventure in 2019. Beautiful too… with ” pockets of gold.”

By the time you read this on Jake’s and my ” official” birthday ( Saturday/ 24) I will have been treated out to a steak dinner at the Oaks in downtown Charleston with my grown children! A rare family gathering that affords the adults in the family to really converse and catch up on the year’s news! I love it!!!

Today I will be accompanying Jake to his birthday party! A bouncing party for him and his friends! I will jump high with feelings-not feet!!!

Tommy and Kaitlyn have been going through an unexpected scary time with their only girl dog-Khaleesi. She had to undergo emergency surgery Thursday night for a serious gallbladder attack that had to be removed. These next three days are critical in her recovery -the family would appreciate prayers for this beloved family member’s struggles. Thank you!

We are all praying and pulling for you Khaleesi!!!

Will catch ( pictures) all the fun up in Sunday’s post from Jake’s and my birthday weekend ! 🎈🎈🎈🥳🥳🥳

So happy Jake picked my birthday to share… birthdays are now double the fun!!!

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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5 Responses to A ” Thank You” for Life!

  1. Rachel Edwards says:

    Happy Birthday my sweet friend. So glad you are celebrating in a big way with your sweet family. Hope you got my note about going to Middleton Monday afternoon for dessert at the restaurant and a walk through the gardens.

  2. Johnny Johnson says:

    Happy Birthday Mrs. Dingle! Hope it’s a grand day! Please tell Jake Happy Birthday for me, and I think you should go and bounce with Jake once before everyone arrives, just you and Jake. You will be able to control the bounce, it will be gentle with just the two of you. Hey may not be on your bucket list but you can add it and then scratch it off all at once. Listen if I went Zip lining in Asheville, you can do this. Whatever you decide, just have fun! I have to say that really good people are born in September, at least for me. My Daughter was born on the 14th and when I left the hospital the night she was born it was chilly and the wind was blowing and I thought, my baby girl brought fall with her. Also my Niece 21st, my Grandson 22nd, now you and Jake on the 24th. I reiterate, some really good people were born in September!

    • Becky Dingle says:

      Hi Johnny…I did tease Jake that I would jump too and you could see the horror in his eyes…he scrambled to find a reason why I couldn’t and came up with “People over 50 couldn’t jump for safety reasons!” I was so happy he thought I was turning 51 (more ancient) I let him off the hook!!! 🙂 🙂

      • Johnny Johnson says:

        Lol! From the mouths of babes right?! I love it! I had a visual image of the look on his face. He was worried about his Boo! But sounds like it was all fun, that counts for a great day and Birthday.

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