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| Mondardia or Bee Balm (red) |
I was reminded in a big way yesterday to blow the dust off my "Thankful and Grateful"; or T and G list and get with the program again. Nothing like having a Great Kindness of the Universe to remind you that being grateful and thankful could be more than a once-in-awhile kind of thing. Maybe I *had been* T and G previously and it came back to me when I needed it!
I was lolly-gagging around on the motorcycle taking in the smells of Fall that are about; looking at the hues of yellow and while watching the roadway, also watching the fence rows for bittersweet. I had been up this little windy road to see my French horn instructor about some music we just received for the community band in the capital city up the road, loaded that and some water, my clippers and some plastic bags behind me in some strap-on netting and off I went.
Urrr, put on the breaks, signal, pull over and I was about to walk the fence row and snip some bittersweet and "OH NO!", I noticed my little travel purse with house key and car ignition fob, insurance and debit card and my driver's license was G-O-N-E! Slap to the forehead for a couple of reasons!
Not only was all that gone, but, I had successfully allowed access to everything about me in one swoop! What to do, well, nothing for it but to get back on and retrace the 10 miles back where I saw my friend and then work my way all the way back home. On the section where I noticed it being gone to the section to home, where the purse could not be, I was listing all those things I would have to do...call the bank, insurance company, no well, maybe if I get in the car and go look when I get home, no WAIT! I can't do that, it's 4:30, I have to go to that big hardware lumber store in the next town over, fork out money for locks. Wait, do I have cash? I don't have my debit card! OH LORD, what have I done?
Suddenly, the reason for the ride in the first place; the really complicated music I just got and needed help with before Thursday was pushed way on the back burner, but you know what?
By the time I got home, shut the bike off, slogged off all my gear and pulled out my phone, there was a message from the Kind People who found the purse in the middle of the road and in fact, had passed me when I stopped to get the bittersweet. They were chasing down the bicyclists in front of me, they said they thought it belonged to them.
So, I hopped in the car, drove another 10 miles another direction to the home of the Kind People who would not even take my birthday gift card for a restaurant in thanks for doing the right thing.
The right thing in life *is* to reach out to your neighbor, your human on the planet and it will come back to you.
So today's entry is not so much about Bee Balm, which I really love, because it has a rooster-like comb for petals, it smells like lemon when you rub the petals between your fingers, and has lots of seeds for next year if you dry the heads, it comes in reddish-pink and lavender, and mostly, it is about that banking concept.
Take time to list things you are Grateful and Thankful for, right now, because you are going to need a withdrawal in the future, before you even know to ask for it! I am also G and T because I became aware of something I had not thought of before...don't put all that private information and your true security, in one place!
My entry today also goes out to my son, William, who has made a commitment to give a year of service in a missionary-type program down South. I did it when I was about his age; learned things I have carried with me every day since then so I applaud him for his courage and commitment. It is not easy, sometimes frightening, discouraging and tremendously uplifting; all in the same hour!
He will bank a lot of Grateful and Thankful things in this year!
