Life

One of the main aspects of life is, of course, death. It seems like life and death have been unbelievably vivid this month. Peter Jennings, Grandma Hummel, and two of my Bethany classmates in one week. (I mention Peter because I really liked him, and did feel pretty sad to hear of his passing.) That same week I watched a baby being born, who then this week almost died (but didn't thank God). Geez. I watched blood clots the size of golf balls being pulled from a c-section incision that had been gaping open after not having properly healed, and believe me there is nothing like lots o' clotted blood and gaping wounds to get you thinking about what we're made of! Luckily my client with the c-section is okay too.

Two of my Bethany colleagues, Shawn Bergstrom and Dinah Bergstrom (Bollinger) died last week in a car crash. They were both very beloved Bethanians and there are many many people grieving right now because of their deaths. I've been browsing through articles on the web and a website that was set up specifically for them almost every day because I just can't believe it. I mean, I wasn't even very close friends with either of them, but I still feel a huge sense of communal loss. Many of my friends at the time were pretty close to them and everyone at the school knew them well. How can they be gone just like that?

So life has been hitting pretty hard. We're feeling the onset of Fall already, that notion that it's time to get settled in to another change in season. The weather is still bloody hot, but the Fall feeling is descending. We still haven't brought Helen home. There is some question now as to whether that will ever happen. She doesn't like other cats much. That's a big concern. She's doing fine medically, however. Our usual cat-sitter, Kate, just e-mailed about a stray that showed up on her doorstep. She's hoping we can help with this one either on our own or through Tree House. He's a gorgeous orange tabby with white patches. Sigh. We feel the desire to nuture, to love and protect. Cats, not Kids - our new motto. Help the overpopulation problem of humans and cats by adopting, spaying and neutering, and by not producing other humans! Hee hee!

Tomorrow is Friday. Saturday is volunteer time at Tree House for both Dave and I. Dave is helping with some problems they've been having with their Mac. computer. I will pet cats in the isolation wards. Sunday we will go to church (we're trying the Episcopal church around the corner - All Saints). Later in the day on Sunday I will practice massage at my massage teacher, Elias's, private practice. We start student clinic in a couple of weeks. Monday is back to the ol' grind, which, by the way I'm liking quite a bit. 9-5 is way undervalued!

All for now. Back to livin'.