"Timing Sure Does Make a Difference" by Susan Pearl

Timing sure does make a difference.

When in High School I met a transfer classmate who had an unique haircut.

I liked her haircut so much I had my hair cut the same way.

I asked her, "How do you like my hair"? 

She answered, "I'm so tired of this style.  I'm growing my hair out and can't wait for a changed new look.  This hairdo really is out of date".

Her words did not lift my day.

Sixty years later:

Earlier this week, I followed an on line instruction video on cutting my hair.

I thought it turned out nice. 

So I was reviewing the video to make sure I did my hair cut right. Instead, I found that the video had been removed and would be shortly replaced with a more updated hair cut instruction.

I thought, "Oh, no. Not again."

Timing sure does make a difference.

"Very Good Friend" by Susan Pearl

I have a very good friend. We have been friends for over seventy years. We met in first grade. 

One unique part of our friendship is that when we went our separate ways we have only written letters to each other. No texts, no emails have not ever been a part of our communication.  Maybe a brief, twice a year, phone call but that is getting too late because I am becoming hard of hearing.

We both agree there is something so special about finding a handwritten letter in the mailbox from each other.

I think we may have ESP because I have received a letter from my dear friend the same day my dear friend has received a letter from me. Now, to answer the big question, "Who owes who a letter"?

In over the seventy years that we have been friends, I can truthfully say, my good friend has not ever once hurt me.  My dear friend has not ever said or done anything to cause me to shed one tear. 

In fact I have had over seventy years of inspiration-

Over seventy years of encouragement,

Over seventy years of non-judgemental and unconditional love,

Over seventy years of having a curious awareness of the greatness and grandness of life.

WHAT A SPECIAL GIFT I HAVE KNOWN -

THANK YOU, MY VERY GOOD FRIEND!

"Task Becomes fun Routine" by Susan Pearl

In my mind I can still see your cute face as we made eye contact while making the bed.

The freshly washed and line-dried linens had a fragrance of the outdoors.

It was a simple task to make the bed but we had made it into a fun routine.

While putting on the top sheet we would raise the sheet up as high as we could, up an down,

Higher, higher- "YES"- we could get a quick peek of each other on opposite sides of the bed.

I would pretend to be startled and yelp. You would laugh.

But it was over too soon, so we would do it a couple times over again and then again. 

Higher, higher- the sheet would be fluffed, "YES"- we would get another quick peak,

Complete with a startled "Yelp" followed by more laugher.

I think you were three to four years old but now you are over six feet tall.

In my mind I can see your cute face as we made eye contact while making the bed. 

It was fun but didn't cost a penny yet it gave million dollar memories.

"Could be a Solving Thought" by Susan Pearl

Throughout my life I have had some frustration about the behavior or words of others.

Many, many times I have tried to overcome my frustrations but wait-

One day this year I started talking about my latest frustration when the person I was talking to stopped me by interrupting. 

In very few words this person turned my thinking around.

Could it be? Could it be me? Are you kidding? What?  Is that possible? ME???

The words were:  "You're making way too much out of it". 

I had the answer inside of myself and needed to be shown--

"You're making too much of it."

What was the frustration about, well, even trying to remember is "making way too much out of it". 

And that's the end to a whole lot of frustration by applying a new thought that may be a solving thought. 

"Two Conversations at the Same Time" by Susan Pearl

 My husband ate lunch at a different town yesterday-

So today I asked him if he had a good lunch.

He said, "Well, the potato salad-", 

I interrupted, "Are there still some potatoes in the basement?"

He answered "Yes".

My husband patiently continued saying, "About the lunch-

In a loud voice I continued asking, "Does any of the potatoes in the basement have sprouts"?

He answered, "A few. Why? What do you want to make"?

I answered, "I was thinking of making a potato salad but since you just had some yesterday I will

   make potato soup".

'Sounds delicious"! he exclaimed.

I added, "I am so glad we had this conversation about what to fix for dinner. 

We should do this more often".

"Pet Peeve" by Susan Pearl

 I do have a pet peeve,

It irritates me to be interrupted when I am talking,

Because I like to finish what I am talking about.

If I am interrupted I can lose my train of thought. 

If I lose my train of thought it can totally escape me.

My husband thinks that interrupting someone, also, includes-

Interrupting someone from watching TV.

He said especially if the interruption takes place at a very important part-

of what they have have been watching.

I asked him for an example.  

He said, "Like the other night I was watching a good show on TV when they said,

   "And the verdict is"_ just then you blurted out from across the room,

"Did you thaw out the chicken?"-".

I interrupted my husband by quickly saying,

"That was the thought that escaped me when you interrupted me talking."  

"New Motto" by Susan Pearl

We are now on our way to our 60th Wedding Anniversary. 

Some people ask if we have found a secret or two or three.

All I know is that at our age we have made up a new motto.

Because if a person has more work over, over, over, again, and again-

Eventually, the work doesn't ever end,

So, I know our new motto is true,

"There really can be too much work to do".