“Thank you for your help!”

Daily writing prompt
What is something others do that sparks your admiration?
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Being a late bloomer, and to be honest, in many respects I remain in that process, hearing, talking to and witnessing others that have embraced a long, arduous and resilient journey to personal fulfillment is something to truly take in, absorb and admire.

You can be coached and mentored with out any such appellation by friends, coworkers, family or complete strangers, if you are open to being fully present in those instances. It may require you to lower the walls, reduce the ego and welcome a life lesson. But even the smallest of moments can have a wonderful and sustaining impact on your own being.

I can honestly call upon their experience, wisdom and fortitude when I find myself in similar situations. It all adds up. Not one of those moments are wasted or inconsequential. Then perhaps next time I encounter them, not only can I ask how their path has been of late, but I can thank them for helping me along mine. Sharing at its essence.

Though the seasons may say otherwise. I want to become a perennial. Like all of them. And eventually, God help me, bloom all of the time.

“Thank you for your help!”

“Crambone”.

Daily writing prompt
What’s your favorite cartoon?
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I grew up watching some of the best cartoons ever created.

There was Bugs Bunny and that whole crew, still cracks me up. The “Uranium Pu-36 Space Modulator”, “Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius”.

Then there are that slew of Tex Avery characters. Droopy dispatching every cannine nemesis in all ways imaginable. The Bear yelling ‘QUIET, CAN’T HAVE NOISE” followed by sprints to the hills to scream, howl, giggle and even burp. Then there is the wolf dog catcher, with the cat puppet.

I love those to this day.

But start spinning the old Tom and Jerry cartoons, and I am set for life.

Where else does a cowboy have a mouse roll a cig, suck it down in one draw and greet a young lady in words composed of smoke? Or have his glove play the guitar, while his arm wraps around her?

All out wars in basements. Golf course fiascos. Uncle Pecos looking for a whisker to restring his guitar. Traveling back in time to be the Mouseketeers. Tom’s cat friends seeing him lay in a cradle and saying “Ah, goo.” Tom’s foray into being a pianist and Jerry acting as conductor.

Has to be the originals, with the skull crushing smacks to the head, the screams and howls, the face meeting an anvil and flattening, hands swelling and searching for Jerry in the walls with a stethoscope.

Used to go to midnite shows featuring the Stooges when I was growing up. Would definitely skip bedtime to sit in a Marcus and watch Tom and Jerry until the wee hours of the morning.

“Crambone”.

Fully open for Christmas day.

Lenten devotionals offered at church have become one of my favorite pieces of literature each spring.  A great way to help set the tone for the forty day journey.  And now, Advent devotionals have  found a similar place of prominence in my heart.  

There is so much to the words that have been chosen to detail and reveal faith.  And as I have told a close friend on numerous occasions, each time I am present for a reading or the homily, I hear something new.  Another nugget of the greater lesson to consider and add to my understanding.  Words that if taken to heart and applied to life, affirm grace and provide peace 

Take “adventus” for example. 

The Latin word from which advent was born.  The Catholic Exchange takes it a few steps farther:

“Adventus is a form of the verb advenio which is defined not only as arrive, come to, but also as develop, set in, and arise. Adventus itself also refers to an invasion, incursion, ripening, and appearance—all denotations that are rich with implications for the gospel accounts of Christ.

So if you think about it,  the rhyme for this season is not only centered on an arrival, or the coming.  But in a deeper sense, it has everything to do with development.  Incursion.  And ripening. 

Advent is about developing a rhythm of life that instills purpose within the waiting.  It is about allowing the words to find their way not just into your head through your ears.  But into your soul through your heart.  Letting them nurture and sustain you throughout the coming weeks – and beyond. 

So that your faith can grow and bloom in full. 

Fully open for Christmas day.

Fellowship.

When things become broken and remain so for a long, long time, sad to say, a wide variety of actions, inaction and rationalization begin to take over. Done so in the name of change, mending and rebuilding. But alas, more so to remain as such.

It becomes a way of being. Strange as it may seem, there is comfort to be found in this mode of existence. Being in and remaining in that state, one can be assured that nothing out of the ordinary, challenging or changing is not going to disrupt the rhythm of “life”, if that is what you want to call it.

This applies to individuals, and in an effort to keep this contextually correct for current media, teams, organizations, states and yes even nations.

Once nestled within that comfort zone, ego can emerge and frightfully remain front and center. Nothing changes albeit in the name of change.

“I have this under control, no one is going to tell me what to do or how to do it.”

“Your point of view is just wrong. What kind of person comes up with that nonsense? Have you no clue?”

“Why in the world would I want to talk to you? You can’t tell me how to think, feel or act. How dare you!” The hole expands and wreckage grows, hidden and distorted by the rose colored glasses of ego.

Close behind in tandem is its sibling, self-righteousness. Placing oneself not just on the pedastal, but firmly ensconced in the pulpit. A pharisee of your own design and law, willing to bring disorder, destruction and even death to see that your aims are met.

Things and those that are broken can be mended.

For anything to grow out of those ruins, adding ever more manure will never yield the desired outcome. It takes a firm resolve, a willingness to embrace discomfort and an embodiment of genuine humility.

Only within true fellowship can one put those pieces back together and enjoin a life as it was meant to be. Person to person. Teammate to teammate. Resident to resident. Countryman to countryman.

Just love your neighbor as you love yourself.

On their own.

This guy is going on 5 years old, and he still shows off with some random blooms, even before Christmas. He has been all around the house, and this spot turned out to be the best for him. Thriving. Probably taking some cues from Amber Ryllis to the right. She got to be about 3-1/2′ tall this spring, twice.

And now that I have my indoor garden set up, I can share some pics of the elder summer corp and some of the kids once they start to bloom. No wonder I cannot sleep.

Gardening is so much like coaching football. Give them the right environment. Don’t overdo the manure. And do all you can to help them thrive.

They all just need time to blossom on their own.