Mortality

There are days that one cannot help but think of your own mortality, and, that of others around you. I try to do whatever I can to help my husband manage his diabetes, knowing that we often only manage the symptoms, not the disease. I think of my mother, who does not often help herself, alone, facing the struggles of getting old, less mobile, and for her, worst of all, more dependent on others. Then there are those who create their own situations, purposely or not, but that is another topic for another time.
My neighbor, a really sweet woman I met through Bunco, has a challenge of another kind. Her husband is in need of a liver transplant, and they have gone through the tests to find a match for numerous live donors. Since the liver is the only organ that grows back, a donor can contribute part of a healthy liver. His wife was almost cleared for surgery when some weird blood anomaly surfaced. The latest tests were on his niece and she was a match. Surgery is scheduled for the end of May. But, at this very moment, the husband is hospitalized for some bleeding problems, prompting speculation that the surgery may have to be moved up for him to survive.
When I think of what they are going through, I know that I am petty being upset over anything insignificant. I am thankful for each and every day, the four cactus flowers we had this week and the huge rainbow tonight.

Weight Loss

Ever since I was very young, each doctor appointment included the words "you have to lose weight." It was depressing -- I tried lots of different diets -- grapefruit, "Mayo", low calorie, etc. but it did not ever work as I never added exercise (40 years ago that was never even suggested as part of a weight loss plan.)
Now, I get the same requirement, but am much better equipped to deal with it. We are already working with a personal trainer, follow the glycemic index and "South Beach Diet" guidelines -- now I know it is for my health and well-being, not just to make me feel badly as an overweight teenager.
I always wanted to attend those summer camps for overweight girls. Since I never was able to do so, I ended up being a counselor one summer. The camp was full of wealthy girls whose family sent them to boarding school during the year and "fat" camp during the summers. The diet was 100 calories per day, with mineral oil as the salad dressing. The counselors were supposed to yell demeaning things to the girls as they attempted to run around the track in the mid-day, upstate New York heat. I would not do that, and was chided repeatedly. My cabin led a break-in one night to the camp canteen and raided lots of candy. The problem was that it was all sorbitol and it was easy to find those responsible as they were in the bathroom most of the day following the crime spree.
The counselors were no better as we would go out at night. One very heavy girl ate one dozen bagels one night. The next night she got a Howard Johnson ice cream cone with 5 scoops piled up. I found out, after the camp was over, that she marketed a fat girls calendar of her photos. I felt so sad for her.

The Pope

I have read everything about the Pope -- his illness, career, accomplishments, death and subsequent funeral events. I have learned much about what he did during his life. How many people, at age 58 have the opportunity to be a world leader for 26 years, influencing nations and people around the globe? What a wonderful job that would be. OK, so I may not agree with some of the doctrine (I am not Catholic), the decisions and sticking to out-moded rules. He was a learned man and had the ability to travel across geographic, political and religious lines, which he did gracefully. He was clearly ecumenical in his efforts, and truly worked with all kinds of belief systems as dictated by the wording in his miter. (The traditional pope's miter is fashioned in such a way to include the teachings of Old Testament with the New Testament, sewn in a way dictated by several Biblical passages.) Regarding internal church stuff -- I don't know anything in detail about that, but reading about the scandals of abuse is disgusting. Not sure how to make sense of the accusations that he kept AIDS research from proceeding.
If I were near Rome, I would have attended some portion of the recent funeral, just to be part of such a significant world event. I was particularly fascinated by the concept of smashing the pope's ring upon death, as a way to make sure imposters did not use the papal seal after he passed.
On the topic of other worldwide events, I was glued to the wedding of Diana and Prince Charles, as well at the first (2nd, 3rd) moon landings and the execution of Ted Bundy (I cheered!) I remember vividly where I was when JFK was shot and also the time when the nation observed two minutes of silence following his funeral. The night of the worldwide candlelight vigil for John Lennon, I stood with a candle in the throngs at the Seattle Center. I am sure I have participated in other worldwide events but cannot think of them now -- is looking at a solar eclipse one of them?