Are we grounded?

Just pondering and “thinking out loud” about our current situation.

Oxford defines grounded: 

1 well balanced and sensible.

2 (of a pilot or an aircraft) prohibited or prevented from flying.

INFORMAL

(of a child being punished) not allowed to participate in social or recreational activities.

"the problem is, I've got more grounded friends than available friends"

M-W defines grounded: mentally and emotionally stable : admirably sensible, realistic, and unpretentious

DiscoverHealing.com

Spiritual grounding is a practice that connects your body to the earth and brings physical and emotional balance and strength. When you learn how to ground yourself, you become present.
Jul 1, 2019

[ I think and eat, therefore I’m present ... I hope.]

WordReference.com

Imagine not feeling like you're stable, like you have "ground" beneath you. This happens when you feel like your life is out of control, or you're not sure what to do with your life, or you're not happy with what you're doing in your life, etc. Feb 11, 2019

[ I felt happy on a walk-run to the Ogden library yesterday to return a book to the dropbox.  A bit chilly, but the sun warmed my soul.]

Safari searched: lds spiritual grounding
NEIL L. ANDERSEN
14 Jan. 1998 [business college devotional]
Transcript [with few typos]
Grounded, Rooted, Established, Settled
[Relevant to our day!]
https://www.ldsbc.edu/grounded-rooted-established-settled

Some say they are bored (like teenagers who are “grounded”, which never happened with Kay & me).  Bored?!  I ask, “How is that possible?”  Plenty of books to read, talents to develop, and stories to tell; the list goes on.  Life is good.

Music on Hold

With news media and door signs telling us our economy is “temporarily on hold”, I wonder ...

Good music has helped me endure tough times that place me on hold.  Now I imagine others must be listening to music while waiting on hold.

As I write this on iPhone, telemarketers are reaching out to me from “United States” and unknown towns, optimistically showing faith in the future of our country.  They wouldn’t dare place me on hold if I answered, because I might hang up if annoyed by the music and helpful messages.  I like many kinds of music, but I have to be in the right mood ... you know.

According to TalkRoute.com, “... the Psychology of Waiting”, music on hold (MOH) helps anxious callers perceive wait time differently if set up properly.  For example, I like the strategic mix of music and messages on my favorite radio stations online: Classical 89 (BYU) and KNPR Classical (Las Vegas) plus Jazz if I choose.  They bring loving memories of my sweetheart Kay and truly help me through this difficult time.

My advice: choose wisely your “music on hold”.
“Be still, and know ...” God is in control.

(A work in progress, like our resilient country, I hope.)

Social ... what?

Now it’s about responsibly caring for others while “distancing”.  I went out strolling along the river with a good friend several days ago.  We loved seeing young families biking, friends briskly walking, and sunshine warming us all.  Loving sweet thoughts of our Kay, my companion through all of this ... and forever.

Back home at “the ranch”, we two visited a good 10 feet apart in our main lobby, shared photos by texting, and greeted friendly neighbors coming and going.  A refreshing break from social media.

Monday morning I helped an older couple load their longest U-Haul for a move to Texas.  We will miss them as neighbors, but keep them as forever friends.  Monday night a few of us neighbors continued the regular 8pm social, this time in our main lobby with responsible social snacks and distancing.  Locked out of the large social room, our Wednesday “movie night” will be limited to six healthy people, young and old, socially six feet apart with cookies by the third-floor elevator.  That will make me smile.

Life goes on ... with love. 

Beyond Description

How can I describe recent events impacting us, situations changing life as we knew it, and feelings affecting me?  Let me try to remember a few ... for example:

Pandemic: “(disease) prevalent over the world”

Increased focus on home-centered church

Empty shelves and long lines of shoppers with full carts ... waiting

Generous, caring neighbors at CC Apartments in Ogden, Utah

SLC earthquake shake-up at 7:10am March 18

Stock market shake-down

Gratitude for God’s love and tender mercies

Constant awareness of my sweetheart Kay’s continued influence ... with forever love

I could go on, but they are still beyond description.  With my mind in its present state, English fails to illustrate.  Maybe a few fast photos would help paint the picture.

Alone With Kay

Admittedly, there were times in our marriage when I preferred being alone by myself, such as listening to my favorite music while my wife Kay watched her favorite TV show.  More often, I wanted to be alone with Kay.  Memories of our road trips alone are priceless, as are those of family vacations. 

As a close couple, we also enjoyed an abundance of time with family, friends, neighbors, and strangers.  Kay & I moved our family frequently, unlike many folks we admire as “models of stability”.  Consequently, we are blessed with numerous choice friends gained along the way.

Since her passing in October 2018, shortly after gaining our Michigan Family during a 12-month mission, I have been richly blessed with tender times alone with Kay.  From day one, her transfer to a new area of loving service, I have known that my sweetheart Kay is really not far away, she is not lost, and we are not forgotten.  Loving tributes from family and friends, as well as insights from the Comforter, have added so much to those times, helping me get better acquainted with my eternal companion.

While I still love married life, alone with Kay and our favorite music, I also enjoy time with family, friends, neighbors, and strangers.  This all complements our previous six years of experience in Ogden, Utah.  As I like to say for Kay & me, “We are grateful to be back home.”

Our Ward Family

Our weekly family get-togethers are scheduled for Sunday morning at church and Monday evening in our Colonial Court social room.  Our ward and group families bring me joy, and everyone is invited to be with us.  These regular meetings offer opportunities to learn, serve, and socialize with neighbors.  (An attraction on Mondays is the linger longer with food, like my wife Kay & I enjoyed organizing for our Ogden ward family at the end of Sunday meetings.)

Members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are familiar with ward and stake units, organized worldwide with priesthood leadership and sister presidencies to provide guidance and support for individuals and families living within their boundaries.  Wards typically consist of a neighborhood or community with a few hundred in the congregation, and stakes encompass several wards.  Stakes often include a branch for a special facility or a population striving to grow and become a ward.

When our family of three little sons lived on the Avenues in Salt Lake City, our historic ward was a loving, extended family for us.  It was remarkably cohesive and balanced with members of all ages.  Thanks to a young bishop and a devoted sister, its family history was compiled, written, and published, copyright 1981.  Live Together in Love — a History of the Ensign Third Ward is hardbound with 446 pages of text and photos dating back to 1913, plus the 36-page Index.  This is a family treasure to be shared with our posterity and dear friends.  It’s about love for our Savior and each other.

view from our Ogden meetinghouse

after church, 8 March 2020

Kay’s 17th on The 29th

It was fun!

My young bride Kay & I waited four years for her 17th birthday, which was last Saturday the 29th (leap year).

Her afternoon party was a success!!  Family, friends, and neighbors enjoyed catered food, cake, and Farr Better Ice Cream.  We all sang “Happy Birthday”.  Little children got balloons on long strings for a trip to the high ceiling of our social room.  (My assistant did a remarkable job with attention to detail.)  I shared some of Kay’s history via Google Slides presentations.  No doubt she was smiling and having fun on the other side ... with us.  Our Kay deserved it!

Tonight I finished clearing out cake, ice cream, and balloons.  So, today was another “Tuesday with Kay” ... and forever love.

Kay's famous fruit dessert pizza pie

(only imagined at her 17th birthday party)