BDay Lunch with the Alligator Hunter, Helen

Today I had lunch with my dear friend Zoe, (former coworker at Nordstrom and mom's helper) and all of our dear friend, the wonderful Helen.

Zoe and I took Helen out to lunch at the lovely Cabbage Patch restaraunt, to celebrate her 90th birthday. Oh my Lord (or in Lulu and friend's case, My Lawd)She is a whoot! She's 4ft somethin' now and cute as a bugs ear. A Catholic by birth and bestest friend to my mother "Lynn" who was a professed athiest -although I will attest to the fact that her "tune" changed and I prayed with her in the last hours of her life....... and I WILL attest that I never knew anyone more charitable, more forgiving, accepting and loving to ALL and I mean ALL, than my mother......

So, Helen,Child Alligator Huntress in the depression in the Everglades, God bless her, had her biggest concern today in talking in her afterlife with my mother about THEIR soap, Guiding Light and it being cancelled, and Helen didn't really know who was with whom at the end and she didn't have my mom around anymore,- a friendship that formed, no less, in their 80's,in the Foyer at Safeway. Yeah, they were cute together. I don't know who took it harder when my mother died at 90, me or Helen.

Helen was just plain upset that mom would leave her, I mean the NERVE of my mother...
Mom was there today too, I just felt it. And I held back the tears and felt the love of one woman for another. And Helen was SO sure she'd get to see and talk to Mom again soon.

I left laughing and hugging dear little Helen.

I've got SO many good friends,neighbors and coworkers that I love like family, I feel truly blessed. And, I have such a strong connection to this community. Today though,I gave myself a mental kick in the behind to spend more time with Helen, to learn as much as I can about what she has learned from life. To try and apply those lessons a bit more to my own. And to "see" her and my mom laughing together someday (not YET, Helen said) in the afterlife.

We all need to stop and spend time with our elders. Listen to their stories, their truths, their insights. I think it makes us better people. And, if we're lucky, our children, grandchildren and the likes will maybe take time to listen to us.

Hugs to you and yours, especially those that just WISH we would listen to their stories,,,,,,,
Shell