Grateful for book recommendations from friends

A friend recently recommended this book.  Although the subtitle is "Along the Alzheimer's Journey", I think a more accurate title would be "Along the Memory Care Journey" as dementia takes many different forms and not everyone is diagnosed with Alzheimer's.  The point of the book is that people with memory loss, remember moments and this is a guide on how to create moments of joy based on those memories.  The first example presented was to bring a fishing rod to the person with memory loss who had many happy memories of fishing.  Just putting the rod in his hands made him smile.   It is an interesting book and I wish I had had this when my mother was going through her journey with memory loss.  I have just started it, but for anyone dealing with someone close to you that is suffering from memory loss, this copy is the fifth edition.  It's been around a while and you can read a review of it here.  From the review:

 "Another quote from Jolene: 'With short-term memory loss, life is made up of moments. There are not perfectly wonderful days, there are perfectly wonderful moments—moments that put a smile on their face and a twinkle in their eye. Five minutes later, the person will have forgotten what was said and done; the feeling, however, lingers on.' ”

Everyone's journey is different, but if there is an opportunity to create a happy feeling, no matter how brief or how quickly forgotten, isn't worth taking the risk to create that happy feeling?  If you have someone in your life dealing with memory loss issues, you might find this a worthwhile read. 

Grateful for unexpected joy

Last Friday I was able to tour the DeWitt Wallace Library and see the renovations that had been made on levels 1 and 3 this past summer.  I found this sign on one of the new office doors.  Inside the library on the main floor they had done a very nice change with the ceiling, adding a wooden feature.  Photo isn't so great, but the change gave the room a nice feel.  Change is hard for many people, but all the changes fit in the tradition of the library which was  continuously undergoing change for the entire time I spent there.  It was also great to spend time with Angi Faiks, Dave Collins, Katy Gabrio, and Paul Overvoorde.

And outside the library, the pillars had received some artwork that makes them stand out.  Another very nice addition.  It was just nice to see the library is getting attention in a good way.

After the visit to the library went out and spent a short time with a visit to Beth's bench.

I think Beth would approve the changes in the library.

 

Grateful for artists and visionaries

On Saturday, I had the opportunity to hear Brad Neary, Director of the Saint John's Bible Heritage Program, talk about the history of the Saint John's Bible.  The first illuminated, hand written (caligraphy) Bible to be produced in over 500 years.  Brad is passionate about this project and he kept an audience entralled for over an hour and a half.  He had one volume of the Heritage set and attendees could see and touch the pages.  It was a riveting talk and the photo does not even come close to the magnificence of the art.  The photo is of the Beatitudes.  If you have the opportunity to see this work at one of the locations or the original pages at St. John's in Collegeville, it is worth your time.  Very grateful for Brad's talk and the opportunity to see one of the volumes up close.  You can find more information as well as page turning version of the Bible at their website.

On the website you can look at individual pages of the Heritage edition and examples of how they "fixed" problems when they missed a line - remember all handwritten with quills, so getting creative when a mistake occurred see below with the bird with a string to a dangling sentence that was missed.  Pretty amazing!

 

Grateful for 70 degree day in November

 

We had a record break yesterday with a high of 72 in Saint Paul.  We have had 70 degrees in November in past years, but yesterday I was able to get out for one more round of golf for the season.  And I am very grateful that it was my very best round of golf, ever.  I hope my improvement this year carries over to next season. 😎

Grateful for groundwork being done to fight back against authoritarianism

There is a growing movement that you won't hear about in media for a while, if ever.  But it is something to pay attention to and I am grateful for the very young people who are leading this charge.  It is a faith based movement.  It is being led by a group in Minnesota, ISAIAH, a coalition of faith communities in Minnesota.  If you look at the team leading this group, you will notice the YOUNG faces.  So what are they doing?  They are starting a movement to fight back against authoritarianism.  Plans are being made for a march on Palm Sunday, followed by action working with county boards to address the needs of the vulnerable, followed by a proposed march in Washington on the 4th of July.  Their focus is on addressing the needs of the hungry, the poor, and the stranger.  In Minnesota over 5,000 people will be gathering at the Minneapolis Convention Center.  

"Saturday December 13th, “A Light in the Storm”                                                                 Event: A Light in the Storm will be a gathering of 5000 people from across Minnesota and delegations from other states from 1pm - 6pm at the Minneapolis Convention Center. We will launch an agenda and plan a path for protecting our states, families, and neighbors in the face of rising authoritarianism. Clergy and teams of lay leaders will be trained in moving the Palm Sunday Path to the next phase.

And this is part of a national movement, started here, in Minnesota.  It is our Civil Rights movement. Stay tuned for further updates as I plan to attend the December 13th meeting.  It gives me hope.

Image - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beacon-in-the-Night.jpg

Picked up my signed copy of Turtle Island by Sean Sherman, owner of the Owamni Restaurant

 I have had the pleasure of eating at his restaurant, the Owamni,  in Minneapolis twice.  I highly recommend it.  This is his newest publication, Turtle Island, which I picked up yesterday at Birchbark Books.

"On the surface, “Turtle Island” is a cookbook. Look a little deeper and it doubles as a history textbook and even a travel guide, one Sherman and a team of writers and photographers spent three years building. “It feels like an encyclopedia,” Sherman said.

The recipes, organized by regions such as the Great Plains, Great Lakes and Desert Lands, are touchpoints through North America’s landscapes and seasons, offering culinary histories that often have been erased."  From the Star Tribune - you can read more with this gift article. Read more about it here.

Grateful for people who show up in cold weather for Vigils at Whipple Bldg

The second Tuesday of the month at 7:30 a.m. is a Prayer Vigil at the Whipple Building at Fort Snelling where the Immigration Court is located along with a detention center.  I am grateful for the folks who showed up Tuesday morning in the cold, including a group of students from Bethel University.  It was good to see some young faces.  Organized by ICOM Minnesota (Interfaith Coalition on Immigration). It was Veterans Day so the facility was closed, but we got a chance to interact with our fellow community members and I got the chance to talk to Emily from Bethel.  Just being present makes a difference and I am grateful for all those who showed up.