REFLECTIONS OF.............

ONE of my favorite songs that I had actually forgotten about until today is the old John Denver song, SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS.  Here are the lyrics:

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy, sunshine in my eyes can make me cry.
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely, sunshine almost always makes me high.
If I had a day that I could give you, I'd give to you the day just like today.
If I had a song that I could sing for you, I'd sing a song to make you feel this way.

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy, sunshine in my eyes can make me cry.
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely, sunshine almost always makes me high.
If I had a tale that I could tell you, I'd tell a tale sure to make you smile.
If I had a wish that I could wish for you, I'd make a wish for sunshine for all the while.

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy, sunshine in my eyes can make me cry.
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely, sunshine almost always makes me high.
Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy, sunshine in my eyes can make me cry.
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely, sunshine almost always makes me high.
Sunshine almost all the time makes me high. Sunshine almost always:

As I sit here typing the sun is streaming through the window and blanketing me in a comforting warmth. It's actually been cold here, by Arizona standards. When Luke and I walk at night the temperature has been in the 30's.  I broke down and turned the heat on.  I've even had a fire in the fireplace a couple of times. 

I'd like to tell you a little bit about my Christmas Day.  Doc took me out to a fine resort here in the valley for Christmas dinner.  Our reservations were at  2 P.M. and we were shocked that the resort wasn't busy. It has always been very busy in the past. This year they did not offer their Christmas buffet, so we ordered off the lunch menu.  I had a wonderful Maryland crab cake to start off with and then a seafood salad for my dinner. Doc ordered up a fine bottle of a Rose' Champaign. 

I noticed thatsitting close to us was a table of three. Two women and a man. One of the women was a bit older than the other, so I assumed it was mother and daughter and I was right.  The older woman asked her daughter to take her to sit next to the fireplace which was a few feet away from where we were sitting.  As I glanced at her sitting by the fire, hands clasped together, head slightly bowed from years of life, her eyes were dancing with contentment.  Doc excused himself to go to the restroom and I made a B-line to the woman by the fire.  We talked for a good 10 minutes. I still don't know her name, but she was happy that I came by to speak to her. I told her she looked lovely in the outfit with her earrings. She really did!  She told me that she had lived in Burbank, CA for most of her life and that she was 98 years old. She lost her husband of 77 years last year and had moved to the valley to be with her daughter. I asked her if she had always lived in CA and she told me she was born in a small town in Illinois. I asked her where and when she told me, I told her that I had lived there for 7 years and my children considered that the town they grew up in. I hadn't noticed that we were holding hands until I just looked down and saw that we were.  We had a lovely conversation.  I realized how very much I missed my grandmother. I showed her my grandmothers ring that I wear to always keep her memory near me. I miss my aunts too. My aunts are still alive but they are living in nursing homes that specialize in Alzheimer's. My grandmother had lived to be the ripe age of 98 but she had suffered from a stroke a couple of years before. 

 What was so amazing to me is how beautiful the woman was, how cognitive she was and how very much alive she was.  She was being cared for by her daughter who seemed to be very thoughtful and respectful of her.  All in all it was the best thing that happened to me on Christmas day.  I was reminded that grace and beauty doesn't come with an age number. In fact, I think she was the most beautiful woman in the room. 

I remember asking my Grandmother what was the most difficult thing about growning older and her answer surprised me.  I was in my 30's when I ask her, so I hadn't experienced enough of life to fully understand the impact of her answer.  She said, "Seeing all of your friends and loved ones die and being the last one left!"  Something to think about isn't it? 

I hope that everybody has a wonderful New Year.  It's New Years eve. Doc and I are staying at home, with some good books, some good wine, and some good food. May all of you be blessed with good heath, good luck and good friendships in the coming New Year.