Four 'Graceful Beautiful Beloved ' women

It has been weeks since the last entry as Christmas slowed down anything and everything that didn't pertain to the holiday! The last week has involved collecting contacts, connecting with newspaper and magazine publishers, met some mighty helpful folks and continued this relentless pursuit introducing Smooth Transition services. The reception has been quite positive, and now I await with the same excitement that engaged me while teaching. Retirement and I don't seem to get along, it mandates leisure and personal pursuits long awaited, but I'm finding my life journey must involve some sort of payback for all life's blessings! Three of my most treasured friendships are with women in their 80's,who seem to enjoy and love me as much as I them! My meme was a most beautiful spirit that adored this little redhead, freckled face, skinny bones of a child.She was the first endearing old soul that validated my worth, and loved spending time with her little granddaughter. Reflecting back over the years, I now realize why the need exists to live and work amongst the seniors of the community. Then,at the age of nine, my family moved from Elsmere St. to Reedmere in Riverside. Riding my bike through the new neighborhood, I stopped at the neighbour's house to introduce myself! Mrs. Nellie Wright, a white haired senior, sat on her porch knitting in her pretty dress and seemed happy to meet me...and I her. My meme no doubt set the two of us up from her seat in heaven, and started what was to become a friendship that lasted over Mrs. Wright's lifetime, and through my childhood, adolescence and into my 40's ,when her dear soul died at 100 yrs old! When Mr.Wright died, Nellie moved to Lethbridge Alberta to be with her niece and nephew, all the while writing back and forth throughout my life that kept me busy as a single mother to my beautiful son, Ben. I miss my grandmother and Mrs. Wright more than life itself, and fate has one more time provided a most precious old gal named Pat Davis to keep me company while in the absence of my late friends, and at a time in my life when her gift of friendship enlightens all that I have come to be as a 56 year old woman.We spend countless hours sharing our stories, heartbreaks and blessings. Pat lost a baby named Gerald who died at the age of 3 weeks, and her heartache remains vivid. Her sister was murdered at 33, a visceral pain that unleashes tears to this day. She has 6 grown children all the same age as my siblings, a marriage that continues over 60 years as my parents, and a lifetime of wisdom that she welcomes sharing with me. Then there is my greatest life blessing, my 82 year old mother Maxine, the first woman to hold me, wipe my tears, guide my journey through womanhood, love my son to death, and forever stands in the wings with a love and conviction for my life like no other. Is there no wonder why I would want to be with our community seniors? Blessings continue....