Austin and the garden

It's Saturday.  Shannon is over a day early.  We are celebrating Katey's 36th birthday tonight with a restaurant visit and cake afterword at the apartment.  I am so very proud of her.  She has become most accomplished at her position at Hall Financial and is finally happy with herself and unto herself.  She's a good dog mom to Apollo as well.  Cannot believe this much time has passed. 

I spend far too much time contemplating the aging process.  Hair is whiter, muscles are smaller and do less and legs are skinnier.  The mind kind of goes in and out.  Not loosing it but  forgetful and shorter term memory is shot.  One truism hit me in the head like a two by four recently.  When a person has no purpose other than being the receptacle for the kindness of others, that is old. When a person does nothing for anyone else, their purpose is gone.  

I can remember my childhood but not high school very much.  College years are more intact probably because it was one of the most happy times of my life.  Of course can remember meeting Judy in Jamaica in 1975 and that entire vacation, the people I met, vacationers an Jamaicans.  Mostly remember getting loaded on Yellow Birds the first day an the phenomenal heat. 

Its the following morning......

The dinner went well and the cake afterward was too good, glad we sent Katey home with the reminder lest I be licking my chops after a birthday cake breakfast. 

One of Shannon's housemates is a young man named Austin.  He is in his twenties and is approaching the end of his life from some manner of inherited condition. Currently he is in hospice care at the home. He is very sweet and loves Judy.  She kissed him goodby whenever we depart.  Sadly there is not much of him, probably far under a hundred pounds.  When he was able he would fetch Shannon whatever she wanted.  Couldn't speak much only offering a smile and a thumbs up to me.  My friend Omar is a church elder, he and I discuss god issues and race issues and family issues.  I sent him a request for prayers for Austin in his last days for comfort.  The people who care for him at the home are really his only family.  

One tends to ponder the old question, why them and not me?  For I have not lived a life with out error or impurity. I have made bad choices that have harmed people if I am honest.  But this young man deserved better.  Considering that Austin has no family,  prayers are the only thing to requested to have his last days be comfortable.

Taking Harry out this morning I looked at the frozen remains of the gardens me and friend Bill planted last year.  I am really looking forward to growing tomatoes and cucumbers this May.  Watching the plants grow up and bear fruit and collecting the bounty was and is great fun

all for now

stay safe and warm