Mother’s Day was a day for me to remember how blessed I am. My sis and I piddled around all morning til about 11:30 when we decided to put on our bathing suits, grab a couple beach chairs and drive the 2 blocks to the beach. The weather was perfect and clear, and there was a nice breeze. The surf was still rolling in after last night thunderstorms, and the wind which blew all day yesterday, bringing the storms in. We hung out there for about an hour, maybe hour and a half.

We went home, had a nice small lunch, and then both of us took naps. Neither of us slept well last night. I have not been sleeping well since all the insanity 3 weeks ago with my ex. So, I took a nice long nap today. I had a nice conversation with my son late in the day.

Then two of my sister’s friends came over, and we had drinks and swam in the pool. One friend has leukemia. Her husband had a leg amputated about 2 years ago and is in a wheel chair. Their daughter has MS. They are two of the most upbeat positive people you can imagine.

The other woman brought a bottle of champagne. She was really in need of a break of down time. Her husband has lung cancer, and is down to about 100 lbs and not doing well. He was just diagnosed last October. She seems to have somehow learned to stay in the moment. She is handling it so well, watching her husband lose a little ground every day. She knows he is not long for this world, but still manages to smile and be present in her life.

Both of these couples are snowbirds, but have stayed here a little past the normal point of going home, like my sister has. Because it’s just easier to stay. The weather has been good, it’s easy to get out and get around. I listen to their stories, and I only think how blessed I am.

Yeah I have a crazy ex. I have a few issues of my own health, but it’s good overall. Somehow I made it to Florida to retire, comfortably. If I ever get down, I have to think about these two women who are caretakers for their husbands, who seem to be positive, and finding a way through the losses. I have nothing to ever complain about, really.

My sister invited both couples to come for dinner. Only one couple came. The one with leukemia, the husband with the amputated leg and daughter with MS. The dying husband of the other couple can’t eat right now, because of lesions in his mouth and esophagus caused by the chemo. She brought us homemade red velvet cupcakes to have for desert.

There’s a lesson to be learned from them. How to get through real hardship with grace. And to be grateful, always just grateful.

Feeling bad for my friends up north. They had a nor’easter this weekend, through tomorrow I guess. Cold, and pouring rain, and probably windy too. It was windy here yesterday and 90. Today in the low 80’s and a breeze just to keep things bearable. How lucky am I to have ended up here? With family and friends and close to the ocean? And my health, relatively in tact? I saw today with these women, my sister’s friends but also my friends now too, since I’m here often enough to get to know them.

Blessed, just blessed. Love and light to everyone.