A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME

"The rose and the thorn, and sorrow and gladness are linked together."

Saadi.

Welcome to Sunday afternoon in my little corner of the world, where the sky is very overcast and a storm is promised in spite of the heat.

I spent a lovely Sunday Morning in the Gardens not very far from my home where I attended the Donate Life Week Rose planting ceremony.  This was the launch event for Donate Life Week and there will be many functions and much publicity during the coming week promoting the issue of Organ and Tissue donation ~ an issue very close to my heart.

This morning I joined with Donor families, Recipients and their families and friends, Medical Staff and those who work very closely with Donor Families, to give thanks for the gift of life.

We were addressed by several Members of Parliament, a Donor Family representative and a Recipient and it was a lovely time - very emotional and many tears were shed.   I thought the quote above about the rose and the thorn was most appropriate for this blog post.  

I was able to sit with the husband of a newly transplanted lady who just wasn't up to being there and was able to give him support and introduce him to several people.   We caught up with our special Transplant Coordinator from Flinders Medical Centre, and it was nice to chat a while.

This is my third year of attending and this time was extra special to me because of the friendships and associations I have made during this last year with the Transplant community and to be greeted warmly when I arrived was very special.

Warmly is right - a very hot day, but arrangements had been made for there to be a Marquee with open sides for the wind to blow through, but everyone was able to be in the shade.  The arranging of this event and the catering was first class and it was delightful to be there.

I had the opportunity to speak with the Donor Family representative and to share their grief at the loss of their son and yet to rejoice with them in the celebration of life right in this lovely Garden of Remembrance.    The Garden is right on the fringe of the City Centre and is very close to a busy road where trams, cars, buses, trucks and cyclists pass every minute of the day, and it is right on a flight path for Adelaide Airport.   

The placing of this Garden in this situation is very special to me because it is the Garden of Life and it situated right in the middle of where life is happening and I feel it most appropriate.  A Children's "Road Safety" area has been placed close by - and there will be laughter and children's noises often near the garden - and on the other side a big playground is under construction.   All of these things represent "Life" and the roses growing there represent life too with the blossoms of joy for the recipients and the thorns of grief and sadness for the Donor families.   To me it all meshes together beautifully and I hope to attend many many more of these events.

Thank you for sharing my joy at my presence there - I visited the rose that was planted for my year of 2009 "Gift of Grace"  and it will grow beautifully alongside this year's "Spirit of Peace", last year's "Thank You" and other roses with beautiful names ~ Memory Rose, Close to You, Remember Me,  Joy of Life, Joy of Health, Reflection and In Appreciation.   Many different colours - representing the many and varied Donors and Recipients..

I spent some time in quiet reflection and took time to honour my Donor and his family and the Donor and family of my dearest friend , and thought of all those I now know who have been touched by Organ and Tissue Donation.

Thank you for visiting the Musings of My Heart - today a heart filled with gratitude for the selfless gift of life given to me and so many and a heart that supports Donor Families.

"Oliver" -( my new liver ) and I are doing very well and I live daily with a thankful heart.

Love and hugs,

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS

Good afternoon from my little corner of the world - it is a hot afternoon and storm clouds are gathering and I have heard one or two rumbles of thunder.  We are forecast for a summer storm and then hot again tomorrow.

Welcome to Friday where my day has been quiet and calm.  I did my grocery shopping this morning early, visited the Post Office and Pharmacy, said Hi to some local friends and then headed home to put the shopping away.   It must sound ungrateful, but I really don't like putting groceries away and I know I am so very lucky to have food in my cupboards and fridge and freezer.

I have let the day take me where it will and this afternoon I have been lying down under the fan and reading a while (somewhere there an hour got lost as I must have slept) I found my book on the floor and my glasses very crooked.

I have spent time on the phone to my daughters and a friend who needed some cheering up so we laughed a while and discussed lots of things - we even tried to put the world to rights - I don't think we succeeded there though.  I laughed with my friend who was trying to turn her mattress over and not getting anywhere.  

There is so much going on all around me that delights me and I am happy to allow life to do just that - delight me.   I can find joy in the little things - a quiche I cooked early which means that now dinner time is here I don't have to cook - that made me smile.  Shopping in the fridge all stored and neat, the sky is beautiful, my daughters are well and busy, I have a good book to read and all is calm in my little corner of the world.

Phone calls and messages from friends from all corners of the world, support and encouragement from may places.   I am well and take my medication as prescribed and that keeps me well - there is always something to be thankful for.

I heard a little child laughing this morning and that stirred my memories of days when my kids were small and I am thankful for those memories.   There are memories of people and places and beautiful flowers.   Daffodils in springtime, roses in my garden, summer fruit picked from a tree.

A special discount at the Store and the Pharmacy and an assistance who placed my bags in my cart because she remembered I had recently had a broken hand.

It is truly the little things that bring joy - a fragrance and a kindly word - a phone call which ends with I love you - and I love you too.   I am always sure to tell those I love that I do love them, I shall not have regrets about that.

Letters in the mail - the joy of mailing out things and the kindness of friends. 

My neighbour is 92 and yet each Monday he brings in my rubbish bin as well as his own - a little act of kindness and which helps him maintain his independence.  The sweet and soul comfort of music in all its forms and genres, a comfortable bed at the end of day and a soft and downy pillow to lay your head.   The lovely smell of clean linen and soft fluffy towels, coffee in the morning, the aroma of bread baking.   Look out for things and let life delight you.

Sunday will see me at the Rose Planting Ceremony in the Donate Life Garden of Remembrance - starting early in an attempt to avoid the heat and I shall think of my Donor and his family and the Donor who gave life to my dearest friend and I shall honour both families.

I shall stand with other thankful people and know how much this gift of life means.

I have a movie planned for next week and all in all it is a good life - I am healthy and well and doing just fine.   I am loved and cared for and the little things in life bring such special joys.

Thank you for visiting the Musings of My Heart - a little sentimental and pensive today, but oh so very thankful for the little things in life.

I am happy to let life delight me.

Love and hugs,