Amidst all the darkness and anxiety there can always be a little light to raise the spirits can't there ? Today I was driving down one of our Devon country lanes , the banks peppered with pale yellow primroses, daffodils in abundance sprouting in clumps in the most unlikely places and the hedgerows already clothing themselves in the softest green . Something caught my eye and I looked up and saw the silhouette of a swallow . My first of the year . I stopped and watched as it skittered and danced in its familiar flight .There was only one but soon others will arrive and the cycle of renewal will begin all over again . For a moment I felt my shoulders relax and the tension left me and I felt good . I know it won't last but that doesn't matter as I know there will be other moments but perhaps I shall have to look a little harder for them .We all should .
A little light in the darkness: Amidst all... - PSP Association
A little light in the darkness
Sounds lovely George, how are you, Kate and V? I've been thinking about you all a lot.....
Love....Pat xx
Trying to take each day as it comes - not always successfully -the end seems near yet so far .Thanks for thinking of us -I hope you are doing ok?
Love Georgepa
One day at a time George, some better than others, I'm still struggling to come to terms with it all!
Hugs Pat xx
Thank you for your beautiful and wise words.
We spotted the first of last year's together, do you remember? A lot has happened to us both since then. But George, we are still surviving and somehow will carry on doing so, never forget that!
Sending big hug and much love
Lots of love
Anne
How lovely George - ever the poet. There have been so many sad events happening recently to our friends on this forum so it's lovely to have something so uplifting to read once in a while. Thank you.
Margaret
Lovely, George. Yesterday I saw where the snow had retreated from the house foundation and revealed a small dance troupe of snowdrops, just barely lifting their heads above the still-frozen ground. A hopeful sign.
The first signs of spring for you- enjoy them .
Yet another post to raise our spirits when you must be finding things so difficult. Thanks for the lovely description as usual and I hope you can hold that feeling in your head to help you through.
Love Kate xxx
Thank you George. I had to go to Lyme yesterday and thought of you all with love x
Lovely as always George, also been thinking of you both, sending you a massive hug keep strong. Yvonne x
Beautiful day today. Walked round St James Park [ Chris with friend ] relishing all the signs of spring and the many young people refusing to be intimitated in London. We need to hold on to the signs of renewal and see us as part of it all. But can't always manage it.
love to you, George, Jean x
Right on Jean!
Hugs x
George what a wonderful description.
Brian always loved spring and I have been enjoying all sights and smells of this spring with a very bouncy springy 18 week old puppy. Jane xx
Jane, that wonderful, a new puppy! Mine is nearly two years old now. I don't know how I would have got through the last three months, or come to that, the last 18 Months, without him. I will forget the first 6 months, when him and Steve would have their daily competition, who could pee on the floor the most!!! At least Ollie makes me get up and go out and face the world each day. Plus keeps me laughing with his crazy antics. I hope Steve isn't watching, when he catches the odd frog or toad in the garden.
Lovely to see you are still reading, hope all is well and you are beginning to find your feet. Yet to find mine, but still early days.
Lots of love
Anne
Heady I was not going to have a pet but I went with a friend because she wanted a puppy.... I sat down and this ball of fluff headed for my lap and would not leave even cried when my friend picked him up.... so when we left i had a puppy tucked up in my jacket... he chose me. So at five o'clock one dark an dismal night we was getting basic stuff for his 1st night with me.
Rubens has been my saviour he has given me a reason for living. And how he charms everyone in the village... he visits the ladies in the hair dressers the charity shop and the poodle parlour for a fuss. He is almost a four legged version of Brian stopping to say hi and having a fuss from all the ladies... Jane xx
Mine is making it his mission to keep me safe from all strangers, especially lone men!!!
Lots of love
Anne
I have been thinking about having a dog someday...they keep you in the present.
They certainly do. I am desperately thinking of reasons to stay in bed, but he is outside, barking to come in, so I am going to have to get up and face the world!
Lots of love
Anne
Try my demanding elderly moggy... I think I get it right... "not good enough" say's she, "I changed my mind."
But you are so right.
We have also had a magical day: our 17 year old grandson, who is studying Animal Management at college and hopes to work in a zoo is staying with us and I suggested that we all went down to Howletts Wild Animal Park near Canterbury. If you don't know about this place, it was founded by the late John Aspinall who made his money in London gaming clubs but ploughed huge sums into this park and also one at Port Lympne with the aim of conserving stocks of rare and threatened species and reintroducing healthy ones into the wild. So, it is not at all like a normal Zoo: the health, welfare and happiness of the animals comes first and they are not always easy to see. It is, however, a beautiful place and today was a perfect Spring day. Jacob was delightful, led us around and I was amazed at his knowledge which was imparted very courteously, mainly in answer to our questions.
I was able to use my mobility scooter everywhere - the paths are wide and well maintained - which gave me a lot of confidence and freed me up so that I felt almost independent.
Later on in the afternoon as the light seemed to change very slightly, heralding, I feel, the approach of evening, I suddenly had the most wonderful feeling of peace, ability to recognise and appreciate how lucky we all were to have been given this special time together and gratitude to/for whoever/whatever had brought al these.elements together.
Let us hope that I can retain some of this calm happiness but I suspect that, once Jacob goes home, that the sense of gloom and negativity about my condition will creep back in.
Wow. What a great description of your day, containing all those colorful elements of history and family and wildlife conservation and philosophy. Magical indeed. And fun on a scooter, to boot! Thank you for sharing all that. I've read it three times, so far!
I know it well. We have been a number of times and it is a lovely place. I hope you can hold those feelings.
x
Thanks both of you. Not quite as good today; sky is very grey. Jacob and I had planned to go to the hospice for a 2 hour watercolour session - he used to do a lot of art and fancied another attempt: however, he had, this morning a guilt/panic attack about finishing assignments for his college which have to be filed by noon on Sunday. I hadn't realised that the deadline was so close but immediately offered him the alternative of staying at home and getting on with his work: He, poor lad, was at first reluctant to 'let me down" but eventually agreed that he should have thought this all through before now and that he really did need to stay here and work. I had been a little concerned that he wasn't doing enough college work but do understand since I was exactly the same at his age: I do remember not beginning revising a Latin set book (book VI of The Aeneid) until I got on the train to go to the school to take the A level exam !!! Quite undeservedly, I did pass although at a low grade.
I didn't really acquire a work ethic until sometime in my early 20s but then made up for lost time by seeking to do achieve perfection in everything I did for the rest of my working life.
As always you write so beautifully and point to where there is beauty and hope.
Beauty was one of the core values of the Ancient Greeks along with mind.
Yes, we are all but just a part of the great cycle and the rebirth of Spring reminds us of the renewal which will occur long since we are gone.
Thank you for this wonderful, thought provoking post.
I am still feeling quite happy: we have had sun for the last couple of days, Jacob managed to finish and send his assignments to college yesterday about 4pm (very relieved) and today has helped me to clear out the remaining rubble (or, more probably, enough to make me feel that I can now start planting up) in the front garden. Oh how wonderful it was to see a fit, tall, grandson dig the whole patch, turn the soil over and pick out the stubborn, unwieldy lumps of rock, stone, ancient roots so quickly, cheerfully and with no apparent effort: in a couple of hours he achieved more than I or my husband had managed in two months !!!
And, although he goes home on Friday since he has to work on Saturday, his place is being taken by his brother Toby who is 12, another lovely lad, so, with luck, I'll remain calm and happy until after Easter.
Oh, a post script! Despite having managed to get out and work - or do something - in the garden for the last two days, which really helped my mood, physically I am paying the price, my back is shrieking at me "how dare you do that to me?' And the stiffness, back, arms, legs and especially ankles and feet, (characteristic of PSP) is now taking over my hands so it's time to have a good bath etc. I don't like moaning on this forum but I felt that it was desirable to balance out the tone of my previous message !!
A little overwhelming
Fist Pump - The little successes! 
A "Does he take sugar?" moment!
