And Make Us Happy In The Happy Bees

I enjoyed doing a Monkees post every day last month, and I'm hoping it will make me want to post in my blog more often. Hope everyone else enjoyed it as well.

I had a rather shaky week. I didn't feel well physically all week, but Friday night it finally culminated in some kind of stomach thing that had me up most of the night. Saturday went by in a blur, and today I've still felt tired. Worse than that I have been irritable, or should I say, easily irritated.

Also, a very good friend of ours was diagnosed with Stage Four cancer last week, a very big surprise to him and his family, as he had no notion that there was anything wrong until he got diarrhea that wouldn't go away. It turns out he has cancer in both lungs, his liver, his spine, and both his lumbars. He is not a smoker, although I think he may have been when he was younger. He's a wonderful man and a very close friend. It is hard for me, especially coming at this time of the year. My Dad's cancer was diagnosed in March 10 years ago, and we buried him in May that year. I remember that shock and the trying to come to terms with it that we went through and feel for his wife and kids and grandkids. It has hit Thomas hard, too, because this man has been like a father to him since he was teen. So mentally and emotionally, it hasn't been that great a week for me, and I feel guilty even writing that when I think of what our friend's family is going through.

And then, just about 30 minutes ago, the nicest thing happened. I had to run out to the grocery, and Andrew asked me if I'd pick him up something at McDonald's. He offered to pay, and I told him not to worry about it. When I pulled up to the window to pay, the cashier handed me a receipt and said, "She paid for you."

A lady, a stranger, in a little white Mini Cooper paid for my double cheeseburger and fries! How very sweet, and how little she knows what that little random act of kindness has done for me today. She waved to me as she pulled off after picking up her order, and all I could do was wave back and mouth "thank you" to her rear view mirror. Have no idea who she was, but I plan to pass along that kindness just as soon as I have the opportunity.

Needless to say, I burst into tears -- emotions just too close to the surface right now! But now I feel more relaxed and contented than I have all week. Hopefully I can keep a good attitude and demeanor for the rest of the day and make sure that my family has a comfortable and happy evening.

A Prayer in Spring By Robert Frost

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.

Have a great week everyone!!

31 Days of The Monkees:

"Goin' Down"

"For Pete's Sake"

"Theme From The Monkees"

Interviews With The Monkees

"HEAD" and "Porpoise Song: Theme From Head"

"I'm A Believer"

Fairy Tale

The Monkees Screen Tests

"What Am I Doing Hanging Round?"

"Star Collector"

"Daily Nightly"

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

"The Door Into Summer"

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"