Chapel of Hope Stories

Dear Reader:

Since I have been on a chemo regime for so long I have pretty much lost most of my taste buds and olfactory smell senses. But have no fear… I keep eating and have learned that memory senses help me project past scents …that I can still recall from my childhood or youth.

It is not as good as tasting favorite food items, once upon a time, but memory is God’s gift to us in tricking our taste buds as needed.

The same goes for scents… I don’t smell much of anything ( that can be a gift or a curse) normally …but yesterday was an exception!

KA came over and we were shouting over the construction work -especially the landscaping next door. Maybe it was because I was staring at the tractor scrapers churning up the soil on a Winnie the Pooh blustery day but suddenly the wind brought that rich earthy smell of soil right up to where I was sitting… and it was glorious! The first real smell in a long time… I was so excited!!!

Immediately I felt an instant connection to Mother Earth… the ” Good Earth.” Isn’t it wonderful to experience the magic and mystery of simply being alive… dust to dust!

So until tomorrow…

Today is my favorite day… Winnie the Pooh

Update on Ben… didn’t get in a floor room until early afternoon yesterday at MUSC…and was awaiting MRL scan. So still in waiting for results and future plans but he is talking and aware of his surroundings. Hopefully will know more tomorrow. I plan to meet him back at Wellmore to help him reacclimatize as soon as we find out when .

Dear Reader:

Isn’t it strange when we go somewhere with a certain intent and then are drawn to something completely different… for a reason we only discover later?

I decided to go to the Edisto Bookstore to check on when the next book in the Edisto Murder Mystery series ( Hope Clark) was coming out this month.

The bookstore is so adorable… little turtle designs have been added to the floor for children to follow to find the children’s section and of course this precious cat came out to ( what is a bookstore without one) welcome me to its home-children have drawn pictures of the cat on the walls.

I found myself drawn to the cards and ended up only purchasing the title photo one today…NOTHING IS WORTH MORE THAN THIS DAY.

Shortly before three o’ clock this afternoon I had a call from Ben’s nurse practitioner… she had checked him and all looked good-vital stats… but fifteen minutes later Ben came to her holding his left arm in pain.

She was letting me know they were sending him to the hospital to be evaluated… I called Lee, Ben’s son who left to check on him and what was going on… some miscommunication about where he was taken initially…but it was MUSC.

Jan has been calling and letting me know she is praying the brain CAT scan will find just a TIA… and they can rehab him there. So we are in the dreaded waiting zone… as I type.

So until tomorrow… prayers are welcome-in fact greatly appreciated…🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💗

And now I know why I was drawn to one particular card… ” Nothing is Worth More Than This Day.” God is reminding me just how precious life is… every minute of everyday!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

*** Lee just called-looks it was a TIA-he will stay two more days and then be released back to Wellmore -Whew! Some cognitive set-backs but overall so grateful!!!👍💗

Dear Reader:

Yesterday I got in my car to find fall on Edisto… but soon forgot my mission by just discovering scenes of sheer beauty… no matter the season… like these awe-inspiring marshes.

And I had to laugh … after a couple of miles on Jungle Road I happened to look in the rear view mirror and saw a skeleton driving a blue Jeep! I slowed down and as it got nearer I realized it was a young teenager’s head popping up from the car roof- another teenager was driving and the skeleton was fastened on the front.

When it turned off I circled around and found it parked in a deserted plaza. I pulled up and told the cute teenagers I was taking pictures of pumpkins and fall and now a skeleton… if they would let me!

They all laughed and of course wanted to be in the picture too… what a way to start finding fall! Too much fun!

I think my post today should have been ” Falling MORE in love with Edisto! ”

… and since a friend from Erskine invited us over for cocktails yesterday to see her new home… we were ready … taking our ” Witches Brew” along…

But the greatest simplest pleasure of all was eating boiled peanuts off the back porch-protected from the front porch winds-just a warming heat from the sun and an instant natural disposal below in the grass … easy clean-up! The best of southern living!

So until tomorrow…

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

We were invited to our friend KA Stevenson’s new home on Edisto… it was beautiful and we had a great time!

Then … we just made the sunset traditional watch at the end of the island… a crowd had gathered as well as some clouds… but it was still magnificent.

Dear Reader:

As I turned onto Brooke’s road last Thursday… I stopped long enough to snap a photo of Brooke’s street sign. DAWHOO!

For years now I thought Dawhoo was a branch or sub-tribe of the Edisto Native-Americans who originally inhabited this sea island. I decided to use ( this time around) my ” Ed-I -Slow” leisure time to research this term.

Today you cross the McKinley Washington ( Jr) bridge over the Dawhoo river to get onto Edisto Island.

The second Dawhoo draw bridge built ( in the 1950’s) to connect Edisto Island to the mainland still had many of the same problems that plaqued the first one. It got STUCK… ALOT!!

Libby remembered and shared with me several stories-memories of spending many happy weeks in the summer (as a child) at Edisto with her beloved aunt and several cousins … but her aunt always packed enough food to ” tailgate ” ( coming and going) across Dawhoo River because you never knew when the bridge would get stuck, while boats sailed under, and then the bridge operator couldn’t get the bridge back in position for car traffic. Hours could pass.

The term ” Dawhoo” actually refers to a type of silt or sand composite -like the porous sand found all around at Edisto.

One really interesting way this term was used during the Civil War was in connection with the advancement of Sherman’s troops as they planned to invade the sea island.

Before the total devastation and destruction left behind by the Union troops … Edisto was filled with prosperous planters and the sea island was considered one of the wealthiest spots in the state.

Look-out ” runners” were placed far in advance of the Union troops to warn the sea island residents how far away the troops were. One secret code word ” Dawhoo” was used to designate a mile… five Dawhoo’s -approximately five miles.

This gave landowners time to make the painful decision to watch their properties go up in flames or destroy some of their belongings themselves.

Today the term Dawhoo is found all over the sea island. Dawhoo Landing, river., bridge, boat ramp, Brooke’s street etc.

So until tomorrow… Rest In Peace… because the Ya’s sure did! R and R at its best!!!

Tommy and Kaitlyn went to Boston to visit Kaitlyn’s niece and go to the Clemson-Boston College game!!!

Today is my favorite day! Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

If grief is the price of love, then falls, ” little ” c,” doctor’s appointments, surgical procedures, and rehab must be the price for longevity!

And guess what? As we Ya Ya’s once again convene at Edisto … all those medical ” interruptions” are just that… interruptions but not endings! Life is good and all of us are willing to to do what is necessary to be present and accounted for twice a year!

… And if you are lucky enough to have a birthday in the fall… with Ya Ya friends… you keep partying into continuum and beyond!

Getting ready to party!

So until tomorrow…On the tag of my ” Life is Good” t-shirt is labeled – Do What You Love – Love What You Do! And being together is what we love. Friendship, conversation. stories, and especially memories ( along with cool fall breezes , long cool drinks, delicious food, ocean views, sand between the toes and all is right with the world. Best medicine EVER!

Today is my favorite day… Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

While packing earlier this week… Hoda and Jenna were talking on the Today Show and I caught the most excited expression on Hoda’s face. I turned up the volume and apparently she had been interviewing some or a particular basketball player and given the opportunity to take a shot… which she did… and made the basket!

When Jenna asked how she felt immediately after this accomplishment… with much emotion – Hoda responded ” Like I found my awe again.” Hoda had played basketball in high school and that long-forgotten love of the sport came rushing back. She was struggling to express the power and depth of emotion hidden for decades… she just kept saying ” I found my awe again.. I forgot how much I loved basketball!

Today when we hear the words ” The Mary Tyler Moore Show” our thoughts immediately return to the theme song and Mary throwing her tam high in the air with that total expression of awe at the possibilities of her new life in Minneapolis!

What made the Mary Tyler Moore Show so popular was that Mary lived her life always excited about the unknown and unexpected that she knew would happen one day-she could easily be awestruck.

Awe might be our most undervalued emotion… but one that should be developed in children.

Think about it… was there someone in your family who took you out on starry nights and told stories of the constellations or perhaps into the woods to identify animal sounds?

Psychologists explain the benefits of awe-being awed makes us curious rather than judgmental- makes us humble, sharing and altruistic. Being awed, overwhelmed by the universe quiets the ego. Awe -struck experiences can actually physically reduce inflammation in the brain. In other words goose bumps are good for you!

Children need to be given time to wander without purpose and walk with no aim. Today’s highly structured schedules -filled with activities, pressures and obligations don’t allow time for this important experience.

Children have less time to wonder, wander, or tune into their emotions.

So until tomorrow… I am hoping this week at Edisto provides me with awe-inspiring possibilities to wonder and wander. No doubt it will!!!! 🤗

Today is my favorite day… Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

Richard Rohr ( “Yes and”… Daily Meditations) observes that the basic question, put before Jesus in the temptation scenes, was ” Is God to be trusted?” That is the great question the human race is still asking at the most basic level. Jesus’ resounding response is” Yes! God is on your side. Yes! God is more for you than you are for yourself.”

In other words… God is our greatest cheerleader. Now take a moment… and think of the cheerleaders you have experienced in your life… Perhaps…grandparents, parents, relatives, siblings, spouses, teachers, coaches, neighbors, and/or close friends.

I can’t help but think back on Eloise’s last dance recital… she was excited but also nervous… all of us told her when her class came out to dance she might not be able to see us in the packed crowds with the light on her… but listen closely. Walsh said he would yell her name loud enough for her to hear. That brought a big smile to her face.

When it was finally time for her class to perform Eloise was on the end nearest us but the clapping was really loud… and Eloise was concentrating on her steps… when it was over… and the class started out… amid more applause… she hesitated and searched the dark theater… Walsh timed it perfectly.. his lone voice with her brothers chiming in yelled: ” Way to go Eloise.” Her face lit up.. and she remained a few seconds behind the retreating class dancers… as she turned towards the sound, her face completely lit up… waving in our direction and blowing kisses as the audience chuckled. Promise kept… a special boost of love.

God wants us to be cheerleaders for all His children … as He has been and is still there for us!

We all need people in our lives that believe in us… so if we do… everyone does and ” We” need to replace “Me.” It’s our turn to repay back those wonderful people who boosted our lives by being a cheerleader for others.

We need to cross the bridge from selfish to selfless in promoting others creative endeavors and helping the next generation find their path of ” passion.”

When people talk about wanting to be remembered… it won’t be for their talents alone but more for how they used their talents to coach and encourage others… becoming a cheerleader for those around them.

I don’t want to embarrass Honey … but I am… as talented as she is with her kiln and clay… to me she has just not been a cheerleader for me… but she has ” sculpted ” so many people’s lives through her generosity of time and benevolence. She never stops helping others… never. She lives to serve. Amazing!

So until tomorrow…

Cheerleading is not a sport! It is a lifestyle!

Today is my favorite day. Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

What many Floridians are discovering in the grief and overwhelming sense of loss in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian… is that …if all their loved ones survived the monster hurricane… and the damage and destruction involved only man made possessions-buildings, property, vehicles, etc- these possessions can be replaced, rebuilt-loss of life can’t…

And hopefully what many Floridians are also experiencing is hope in the form of neighbors helping each other, electricians and builders from all across America pulling into Florida in caravans, along with many church food supplies and thousands of helping hands. Love.

Sarah Ban Breathnach ( Simple Abundance) retells an historical tragedy that I taught while teaching the Westward Movement. Behind the horror of the famous Donner Party tragedy lies lessons in courage, perseverance and yes…love.

” In July 1846 Margaret Reed reluctantly left her beloved home in Springfield, Illinois, with her husband James, their four children, and her ailing mother and set off for California. Margaret had stubbornly resisted the idea for months, begging him not to abandon their charmed life of comfort and culture. But James sought even more wealth ( wealthy furniture manufacturer), and adventure-he prevailed.”

He did keep his promise to her to build the most luxurious covered wagon ever made ( two stories high, sleeping loft, spring seats, iron stove, velvet curtains, and her cherished organ… along with all her prized personal possessions.) It was stocked with six months of the best food and wine money could buy.

Twenty-five hundred miles from home and only two days from safety-thirty-one men, women, and children were stranded for an entire winter in the Sierra Nevada Mountains by a succession of the worst blizzards on record. The wagon was too big and heavy for the mountains and had to be abandoned along the way.

Out of provisions entirely…some members resulted to cannibalism. But Margaret, all alone, prevailed. (Husband James had left with a search party to get to California to get help.) Margaret kept her children alive on snow, bark, and leather broth. ” But the REAL possessions that saved Margaret and those she loved were of Spirit–her wits, her faith, and her courage.”

It was said when the Reeds did build a home Margaret surrounded herself with only objects she loved.. she had learned what she could live without and loved the feeling of lightness. Even the possessions she kept were eyed differently-with a certain detachment. If gone tomorrow… so be it. She had her family.

So until tomorrow… May we be remembered as being … by love possessed.

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

I can’t let October go any farther before stopping today to share my thoughts on the significance of October-Breast Cancer Month.

Some days it is hard to remember a time when I didn’t have breast cancer. And as strange as it sounds… breast cancer became a catalyst for change that opened my world up to new possibilities that I had previously been hesitant and insecure about opening.

Breast cancer forced me to finally start telling my story… the illusion of ” Some day I will…” was gone-it was now or never. To my surprise life suddenly became personally deeper and more meaningful… relationships were no longer taken for granted and each sunrise became a gift of love.

I have been blessed with wonderful doctors -each there for a particular stage of treatment that, no doubt, God planned. Some have come( and literally gone) sadly over the fourteen years to date of treatments.

My rarer version of breast cancer was deemed ” treatable but not curable.” To date that is still true… but modern medicine keeps stepping in with “Hope” bottled up in new oral chemo and hormone treatments that have kept progression restricted and allowed me to live a ” normal” life.

This is a day to thank, not only my doctors, nurses, and other medical staff…but also my immediate and extended family for their show of support throughout the entire fifteen year experience. ( When officially diagnosed in 2008-my surgeon believed I had had breast cancer for probably about a year prior to my medical diagnosis.)

As my grandchildren grow older… I hope one day they will not only come to believe in miracles but understand that their ” Boo Boo” was and is a live walking one.

One act I really miss… is our family gathering for the annual Race for the Cure -it started in 2009 with Tommy asking me to participate-the next year Doodle, Carrie, and Lassie joined in with John and Mandy… and from there it grew exponentially over a ten year run ( or walk for some of us)

**Looking at the picture of Harriett this year makes me sad … but Harriett’s positive outlook , fight, and determination will remain with me the rest of my life. Harriett was a ” thriver” until her last breath. Miss you Harriett!

So until tomorrow…

So until tomorrow… The expression ” Pretty in Pink” will always take on a new meaning for me because of all the love and friendship shared each ” Pink” October.

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

Being human is a given but keeping our humanity is a choice. Humanity is defined as compassionate, sympathetic, or generous in behavior or disposition.

There is only one race-the human race and everyone in that race, deep down, wants and needs the same things. We want to be heard and understood and above all loved. We come closer to acceptance of others when we remember we share these same basic similarities-much more so than differences.

Once we all admit out loud that living is hard sometimes, it’s okay not to be okay and we are perfectly imperfect… we can sense and feel our commonality. It is not only okay to ask for help but it’s okay to also help someone else. We are not alone, we are not burdens. We are humans-so let’s be humans together.

Anne Peterson sent this beautiful message she read from Father Pope Francis a couple years back and I wrote it down… finding it yesterday… that I take as a God Wink (that it was time to re-read it.)

” Rivers do not drink their own water, trees do not eat their own fruit-the sun does not shine on itself and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves.

… Living for others is a rule of nature. We are all born to help each other . No matter how different it is -life is good when you are happy; but much better when others are happy because of you.”

So until tomorrow…”We are all cells in the same body of humanity.”

Today IS my favorite day -Winnie the Pooh