Sooner rather than later

I have always been under the impression that you wait for the " right time " for things. That might include a multitude of stuff under the heading of " things. Maybe a trip you want to take when the time is right. Like to Paris, which is where this scene is, on top of a hill overlooking the city, where many famous artists used to gather. One of my favorite spots there .I just read a weekly posting from someone I met on the Canyon Trail along our magnificent canyon one day. He had been visiting here from Hawaii , which he does on a twice a year schedule when he comes in the winter to ski at a famous resort near here and in the summer to enjoy our beautiful scenery at the same resort town. His weekly messages are inspirational as well as good advice. Anyway, his message this evening was about " change " and meeting new challenges with new solutions, etc. One example was about taking care of ourselves as our needs change during our aging. The sooner we get the solutions and care for our changing bodies, the sooner we get to enjoy renewed health, energy, etc. I guess I never thought of it that way. I have at times begrudged having to get new glasses, go in for other issues, decide to walk, exercise, change diets ,etc. But looking at it this way, I realize that the sooner I take care of myself when things change, the sooner I get to enjoy the renewed benefits of health and quality of life. Something to think about the next time I put something off that needs attention ! I have been working on the lawn and landscape as much as is practical lately in an effort to get as much done before winter as I can so that I have a great start on my garden plan when the first shoots come up in the spring. It's such a neat time of the year to watch life return and be reborn again, to see growth, to watch and wait for the buds, and then the leaves and flowers, to see the plants get bigger than they were this year, to smell the honeysuckle that only started to grow in my garden this year after I planted it. My vegetable garden , such as it is, makes me feel good after many years of not growing one. I have my first large watermelon growing in it too. My father-in-law used to grow these huge watermelons in Minnesota called Black Diamonds. You can't find them in stores anymore but you can buy the seeds so next spring, God willing, there will be Black Diamonds in my garden, along with Chardonnay grapes and a new raspberry patch, etc. The sky's the limit ! My wife and I watched " Under The Tuscan Sun " on TV this evening and it is fun to watch it again after seeing it several years ago. Even more enjoyable after having seen Tuscany in person. I would love to go back and rent a villa for a few weeks and get to know the area, the locals, shop every day for our meals at the local market, have a glass of wine at a small cafe where the locals go. Since Sharon has had her medical problem recently it may not be practical but one has to dream. And if we don't get there, well, I won't comlain or feel slighted. Having been to Europe a couple times and so many places, I feel I have more than enough already. And in a few weeks I should be heading to China to do a painting for a corporate client.Sharon will probably go along although a few weeks ago it didn't look like she would be feeling well enough. This will be the chance to see a totally different culture than I have yet seen. One of my keen interests while there will be to visit some of the prominent gardens in the city where my work is located. So, tomorrow I will watch the news in the morning to see if there is any more word on the miners in Utah, a heartwrenching saga that deserves our prayers. And then there is the hurricane headed toward the Gulf, hurricane Dean. What is in store for the people in it's path ? and the horrific situation in Iraq with a recent bombing causing hudreds of innocent people to lose thier lives. Only a small sampling of things that need our prayers. I thank God each morning that I remember, for all the blessings I have gotten. Lots of tough times but then we all have them. So keep the good ones in mind and learn to change what you can and pray for what you can't. And do it sooner rather than later. Ralph