February 2021

Hello fellow friends, family, and followers!

I am sharing personal pictures of the many kinds of love in my life, close friends in this blog, and the one for next week! There are SO MANY MORE!  

Let’s make this a shared experience!  I invite you to share personal pics from your own lives of the many forms of love which have deep meaning for you! 

Animals, the beauty of nature, loved ones, whatever brings love in your life, PLEASE SHARE!

Self Love: Favorite picture of my Mom Barbara Walters

Mother-Daughter Love: Barb & Carolyn

Friendship Love

Enduring Love: Donn & Carolyn

Self Love

BLESSINGS,

Carolyn

The Greeks perhaps best identified the many different kinds, or shades of love, which I describe this week along with images/expressions of each.  

Eros:           Romantic, physical love.

Ludus:         Casual, uncommitted, uncomplicated love.

Philautia:     Self Love.

Storge:        The love between children and parents.

Pragma:      Enduring love developed over time which can have practical aspects.

Philia:         The love of affection between friends.

Agape:        Universal, unconditional love, altruism, concern for others, compassion.

Of course, kinds of love can and do intersect or overlap with one another and can change over time.  Love is not simplistic and can have many different meanings and changes over time.

How do these kinds of love relate to your life?  What different kinds of love do you have in your life now, have you had in the past, and do you hope to have at some point?  

I would love to have you ponder about love in your life, and what it means to you, in the next week.  I will be sharing about these kinds of love from my own life, complete with images and expressions, next week, and invite you to share too!

Blessings, 

Carolyn

    WALT AND BARB:  A LOVE STORY

       (The story of my parents’ love)

Met:  On a blind date when Barb was 16 and Walt was 19.

First disappointment:  When Walt missed their second date.

Reason:  Walt joined the Marines to fight in WW11.

Reuniting:  Walt started writing Barb when he was sure he would return from the war.

Married:  Valentine’s Day “so he would never forget our anniversary!”  He never did.

Children:  Carolyn and Richard.

Barb:  “We cannot remember what it was like before you kids came!”

Happiest memories as a family in the early years:

Always being together—moving at least 18 times in 6 years with Walt’s work with Ma Bell, living in trailers.

Moving to Beloit, KS their forever town.

Moving to their “forever home” and doing the finishing work as a family.

Tending the huge garden, another family project.

Being baptised all together on Palm Sunday in the Christian Church.

Loving the family dogs, Pepper, then Beau.

Trips together visiting friends and family in Kansas and Washington State.

Attending all the kids’ activities.

Hearing THEIR song:  “The Rose.”  (Performed at their memorial services). Listen to the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQY2z6aALD4

In later years:  

Flipping houses!  Barb would draw up the plan and Walt would do all the renovation work!

Being there for each other through family losses and their own health issues.

Always participating in church together.

Being there for their children whenever needed.

Retirement:  Their happiest years!

Buying an RV and later a 5th wheel and traveling all over the country.

Wintering first in Texas and then Arizona.

Making friends from all over the country and Canada.

Spending time with the kids and grandkids.

A trip with Carolyn for Walt’s 70th birthday to the Grand Canyon. (Walt:  “I never knew it would be like this!”)

The last year:  

Surprise 50th wedding celebration for Walt and Barb with Barb’s family in Colorado.

Walt’s continuous health battles the last 8 months with pancreatitis, kidney stones, and two kinds of cancer, the last one terminal.

Walt guided Barb after his death as she drove 70 miles home by herself.

Walt and Barb living in the log cabin in the sky that he built for them and rocking their way into Heaven! (Mom’s view of Heaven)! 

Miss you SO MUCH MOM AND DAD BUT KNOW YOU ARE SO HAPPY!  

Till we meet again,

Carolyn Elizabeth

50th Anniversary Surprise Celebration

Married on Valentine’s Day

Last picture together

In memory of Walt & Barb.

By Joyce Hawkins RN

***Reprinted with permission of dear friend Joyce Hawkins frontline RN working with Covid as she struggled through her own bout with Covid.

Day 9 of the scourge: It is the eve of the end of quarantine. Just one more solitary day to get through. Fittingly, this is the worst I have physically felt through the whole thing. Tired, low grade fever, hacking cough…..sigh. Inevitably, life is full of irony. I was scheduled to get my vaccine 3 days after my positive test. Today I have symptoms at the end of quarantine…..Murphy and I have always danced. Rather than get down about it, I choose laughter. Always. 

What else is there? Laugh or cry. And, I am an ugly crier. So, nope. Not an option. I will get thru this as I have gotten through every horrific thing that has ever happened to me. With dark, luscious humor. 

I have my days where I want to give up. I have had trials and tribulations that would cause anyone to just quit. And, I have come very close to doing that once or twice in my life. Somehow, God has always put just who or what I need in my path to help me pick myself up and carry on. 

In these divisive and troubling times, I would challenge you to think about who and what is important for you to carry on. I always come back to love being the only real answer that matters. Without love, there is no reason to fight or continue. Remember to love yourself. Love each other. Spread love wherever you go. Plant love in the garden of your soul. The human condition is all of us, collectively. We are the captains of our own destiny. In those times when you choose wrong. Get back up and make a different choice. Love is always the answer…..