Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Lest We Forget

Dear Friends,

It has been a long times since I have used this, the old fashioned letter format. Because I think this is an art that we are about to lose, I've decided to use it for this post. Computers have made communication so quick, easy and yet, sometimes impersonal. There is something lost in an e-mail that is there in a letter. Trying to explain that is hard for me. The only apparent difference is that words are no longer on paper, they are on a screen. It is very exciting to get a letter in the mail because I know someone has taken the time to sit down, get out their favorite stationary, and take the time to "write" me a letter or even just a note. I love it.

There are many things in our lives that we have lost because of technology that has made our lives so simple. We want everything instantly. Looking back on my youth, I can remember all of us gathering in the kitchen and making several batches of different kinds of cookies at Christmas time. The kitchen would be an absolute mess, we would all have flour all over us, and occasionally, we would burn a batch. Now, making Christmas cookies, for a lot of us, consists of going to the grocery, buying either a roll cookie dough or package of pre-cut cookies. Then, if they are around, we bring the youngins into the kitchen and slice or break apart our cookies, put them in the oven, and eat them all in one sitting because you can only get about 18 decent sized cookies out of one roll.

Now, please don't think that I am belittling anyone who bakes cookies this way. That's my recipe of I don't just go to the store and buy them. However, I do miss the days when there was flour all over the place and tons of cookies waiting to be enjoyed. You could smell them in the house for weeks.

A lot of memories have been flooding my mind recently and the following e-mail has brought to my mind even more completely how many things we can lose in our ever so busy lives. It is so very hard to choose what is important and what is urgent. These choices have also been weighing heavy on my heart and I am finding it harder and harder to find the time to blog as often as I would like.

The relatively few of you who follow my blog have been so faithful and being gone a week has made me feel, inappropriately guilty. Knowing you as I feel I do, I know that you understand and will be there to read this. It may be a week, or even two, before I'm back. Recently I've had to be in some pretty strong antibiotics that have played havoc with my system and are making it even harder for me to accomplish those things that are really important. Please understand that this is not goodbye. It is not my intention to give up blogging all together. It is just to cut WAY back until probably after the first of the year.

This is the e-mail that I spoke of above. Many of you may have seen it but it is worth sharing again. Life is so fleeting and we have to grab every bit of it we can.

Thank you so much for hanging in there with me. As Arnie says, "I'll be back."

With love and prayers,
God Bless,
Mimmy

P.S. For some reason I was not able to put in paragraph indents, etc., so this is not my normal letter format. I guess block will have to do. Oh, well, a letter is a letter.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck (written after she found out she was dying from cancer).

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.'

There would have been more 'I love you's' More 'I'm sorry's.'

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute.look at it and really see it .. live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!! Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.

9 comments:

  1. Joyce, I will always be here for you. I have thought of you and prayed for you and your health. You and your blog are precious to me, I hope you know that. Whether you write one time a day or one time a month... I care about you and what you have to say. I love the letter. I am so very Thankful for all the wonderful things God has blessed me with. I Treasure your friendship so much. I am praying for you. Love and blessings, Audrey

    ReplyDelete
  2. I, too treasure your friendship. GOD is using you and will continue to use you. Your voice is strong here in the blog world. You have a gift of word.

    Praying for you,
    Andrea

    PS: Sitka has an award for you at All God's Creatures.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mimmy,

    I completely hear you on the blogging end. I am thinking of cutting mine down to just the weekdays because as the holidays draw near I want to spend time with them. Weekends seem to be that precious time and no computer being on during that time really helps us come together as a family.

    I may just prepost blogs for the weekend and then I can still post daily. You know you can do that and then write them all in a few days and just post away. Let me know if you need help with that.

    Praying you feel better and I plan on being here each and everytime you post!

    Love and Hugs ~ Kat

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh Mimmy! I am going to be praying for you!

    I totally hear you on the instant gratification world we live in....it saddens me. I will continue to make my cookies from scratch.....especially for you! :)

    Peace~
    *~Michelle~*

    ps. that Erma Bombeck piece always make me tear up.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Joyce, Thinking about you. Praying you are feeling better. Praying for your Health and Peace. Audrey

    ReplyDelete
  6. Joyce, Stopping by to check on you. Email me when you can. Love and Miss you. Audrey

    ReplyDelete
  7. Joyce, Thank You so very much for your taking your time to write me. I wanted to let you know that I appreciate you... You are a blessing to me. I value your friendship so much. I will write you later. I have to get the kids now. Blessings and Love Audrey

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Mimmy,
    I hope you are back to good health soon, and blogging again.
    I love the Erma Bombeck email; it is a great incentive to make some positive changes.
    Like you, I enjoy snail mail.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi, MIMS~!!! Sorry, I have been "absent" for a while due to life and health issues, but have missed your blog and fine poetry. I hear you about the blogging cut back, as that is what I had to do...Maybe after the first of the year we will go "great guns"...I am hoping that this note finds you well and happy! I am wishing you a GREAT happy Thanksgiving! Hugs...Margaret...

    ReplyDelete

If you leave a comment
It will make my day.
I love to hear that
You've been my way.