The Real Stuff Of Life
This past week has been a roller-coaster ride! The chamber group I sing with had late rehearsals/concerts every night (although I missed the Tuesday practice due to a back injury). We joined with the city's symphony orchestra for Leonard Bernstein's "Candide". There are numerous configurations of this work; we performed a suite lasting about 45-50 minutes. The music is demanding but also fun, and it was music I had never sung before, so I enjoyed the challenge of learning something new.
Wednesday morning when I stepped on the scale I nearly giggled with glee, because it showed me that I've lost 80 pounds. HOLY MOLY! I went digging through my closet again to see what was in there, and tonight I fit my body into dresses that not only have not been on me in a hundred years, but that I really did not expect to be fitting into yet. The black velvet number I mentioned in a long-ago blog post fits me again...and fits me pretty well. The Hubs may have to talk me someplace fancy for dinner so I can wear it.
Today we went to my cousin's wedding, to which I wore another dress that I have not worn in forever. I will admit to some nervousness about today. It would be my first time seeing a lot of my extended family since before my surgery, and I wanted to look nice. My kinfolks are some of the sweetest, most supportive people in the world, and I heard lots of positive comments about the change in my appearance, as well as genuine concern about how I'm feeling. The wedding was beautiful, an outdoor affair with a fall color scheme and a solo violinist providing exquisite music. A longtime family friend and brilliantly gifted designer made vibrant flower bouquets, corsages and arrangements. The ceremony was heartfelt and memorable, and the radiantly beautiful bride and groom assembled a Unity Cross which will be displayed in their home.
I had the chance to sit alone with my 87-year old Aunt Ruby (the Aunt Ruby whose biscuits were a big part of another previous blog post!) and to have a wonderful visit with her all to myself. She looked lovely today, dressed in a periwinkle-colored top that complemented her silver hair. She has always had a pretty complexion, and even now her face does not fully show her age. We sat together as the sun started to set, enjoying the surroundings and each other's company. She is a touchstone for me and always has been. She is the last of her siblings living, and I know that my chances for visits like this with her won't last forever.
The beauty and joy of the day was tempered a bit for me by news that my 4-year college roommate's father had passed away late last night. Since our school and dorm days, she has been another touchstone for me, one of my core group of people I want to share my life with, my chosen family. No matter how long it has been since we saw each other or spoke on the phone (she lives about 800 miles away from me) it is always as though we just talked yesterday. As I prayed for my cousin, her husband and the new family they formed today, I also asked God to comfort my roomie in the loss of her father. He is in Heaven with the Lord, and reunited with his precious wife, happy and whole in a way he has never been before. Happy in his forever home.
In the grand scheme of things, my weight loss, while important, is only a part of the stuff of life. The joy of new beginnings, the heartache of losses, the moments shared with people we love...those are the things that really matter. My prayer for this whole weight loss adventure is that it will enable me to participate more fully in the life of my family, both blood and chosen, to share their burdens as well as their joys, and to do so for a very long time to come.
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