The calendar is just about to flip.. we will be six months into 2020.
2020 .. the year that many of us have been saying
"Hey 2020, please stop, I want to get off! I would rather walk!"
Even with all that is swirling around us, life still goes on. 2020 graduates are making plans for the future. 2020 babies are being born. What a story their parents will be sharing with them. Marriage proposals.. thank goodness for happy!!
Families with loved ones in nursing homes, assisted living and hospitals, navigating all the changes regarding visiting.
Having to go for a cancer check up alone as your loved one waits for you in the car.
And so much more!
It seems like the year 2020 is a year you have to be BRAVE and a year that you take RISKS.
Many of you that read The River know that our National Guard son is conducting COVID19 testing in Milwaukee. Why? For the exact reason he sighed up to become a Wisconsin National Guardsmen.
He wants to HELP people.
Milwaukee has been one of the many cities that have demonstrated frustration with violence, burning and looting.
Sadly, Sam's team was leaving the city for the evening after a long day of testing and the crowds were forming, closing off the streets, starting fires, screaming and throwing things.
Sam shared with me the video he took as his team slowly got out of the city. With the video I can hear his team mates in the van saying "What on earth is going on? I hope we can get out of here!"
They got out. Thank goodness!
Steadily moving forward without always naming the challenges they overcome.
Sam and his team continue to help with the COVID19 testing and will be deployed to Milwaukee until July 31st.
Our 2020 graduation son is busy planning his future. Thinking about college. How will classes be held this school season? Do I want to do online classes? Or do I want to have the opportunity to be in a hands on classroom?
Should I wait and start classes in the Spring semester?
Paving the way.. tiptoe post their comfort zones and say yes when they could have said no.
Do you dare dream in 2020?
FEAR
SADNESS
ANGER
ANGER
so much emotion
I recently read a poem I would like to share here at The River.
The world needs risk takers.
The truth seekers and status quo resisters.
Who ask the questions they really want to know.
Who confidently purse what is right even when it isn't popular.
No facades. No half-truths.
No compromises.
The life lovers and slow-song-in -the kitchen dancers.
Who smile at every stranger and wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Who uphold authenticity time and again.
No distance. No armor. No walls.
The course changers and path makers.
Who risk it all to follow their hearts and lead others to new places.
Who steadily move forward without always naming the challenges they overcome.
No compass. No safety net. No way to know where the road will go.
The world needs risk takers.
Like you and me.
Who pave the way for others to follow.
Or who tiptoe past their comfort zones to say yes when they could have said no.
Every day, in big and small ways, we all wake up and push toward the unknown. Never rising out of new waters the same as we were before.
Author unknown to me
What a beautiful post Carla, like your bouquet of flowers. I'm so glad that your son and his team were able to get out safely. It must have been very unnerving for them.
ReplyDeleteI'm a truth seeker and by now you must have come to the conclusion that I don't worry too much about what people will say or think of me when I know it will not make me popular in a secular world.
Take care and I hope that July will bring you many good gifts.
Stay safe and happy.
Hugs, Julia
Beautiful words, dear friend. You must be so proud of your boy.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Carla, This year, when I thought Ted and I could almost have our lives back...the virus came and put us in more of a lock up than before. Ted's health is too risky to do much of anything. Drs' appts. hospital visit for tests. I am proud of your young guardsman and his team. Thank God for brave young people who will reach out to help others. We maybe having to take care for a bit longer...but I pray for our world , our families. Blessings to you and yours, stay safe. xoxo,love, Susie
ReplyDeleteSo much uncertainty about the future but so much hope too. I'm glad Sam got out of the craziness of the city and I hope they continue to stay safe as they do an important job. Thinking about your graduate, there's so much to consider!
ReplyDeleteA good poem, and so appropriate for now. Sam is one of our true heros! The kind of man who runs toward instead of from.
ReplyDeletePraying for Sam and his team. The world is so wicked it is such a blessing when we see the good in people like Sam. Thank you for sharing him. May they all be safe in their travels.
ReplyDelete"thank goodness for happy!!" I'm glad Sam got out. That is a tough decision for school. The virus isn't going anywhere. Maybe do online until the vaccine is available. Too much emotion, I'm feeling it more and more each day. Thank you for sharing the poem.
ReplyDeleteWell said and beautiful Carla. I am so glad that Sam and his fellow guardsmen were ok and could get out of the city safely when all of that was going on. We need more people like your sweet son to head out into this crazy world and make a difference. I love seeing the little difference that maybe one person makes. When things are done as a whole group it does not seem to be as impressive and can be quite dangerous as we have seen. Then you read or see the one or two people that are making such differences in people's lives. That makes my heart sing and feel better about this world we live in. I hear of so many people reaching out and helping those affected by Covid and job loss etc. that is what we need to see on the news cast. Right here in my little community we have so many people helping out so many families that job loss and financial burdens weigh heavy on them. We need to hear and see more of this. Thank you for sharing that beautiful poem. xoxo Kris
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, my comment went "Pooof"!
ReplyDeleteTo start again....
I am so happy I found your blog!!!!
Let me thank your National Guard Son, for his Service. And I always thank the family of the Warrior too.
May he and his Team always be safe.
"What on earth is going on? The tearing apart of our Beloved Country is going on!!!! Marxism is going on! Right before our very eyes.
Our Country is not Perfect. But one does not fix something, by blowing it up and tearing it down. As is happening, in certain places.
Our only hope is that there are enough people, who still love our Imperfect but Beloved Country.
Carla, your dear Sam and all those young people like him doing there best to serve our distressed country! I hurt for them and for all of us and your post echoes what we're feeling but find hard to express. So many decisions, large and small, that could have huge impacts on futures. I worry about my two little elementary school granddaughters and about young people in high school and college. What a world they're facing!
ReplyDeleteYour poem is riveting. No one will ever be the same as before and I pray that the after will be better than the before but I don't have faith enough that it will be. And yet I know that none of this has taken God by surprise.
It does encourage me to know that there are young men like your Sam and Atticus in our country.