When in December

At the core of my being, I want to remember people in the world for whom family is lost or something they never had.

I spent another day running errands. Its best for me to get into the stores early before the crowds come each day, because my empathy kicks in and I get home feeling so stressed I climb the ceilings. I pick up on sensations of deprivation and want, of confusion and terror. While maybe other emotions are there too, they are minimal at best.

For many years, I used to volunteer at kitchens to feed the hungry or sort and wrap gifts for kids that were collected by various organizations. Tehachapi is small and if those things happen, they are run by church ladies. Not me.

I found an ad for the Humane Society here. We have one that is open one day of the week. They usually have a fundraiser selling baked goods in front of KMart, and say its where they get their biggest donations from towns-folk. This year, I saw the ad in time to volunteer and am set for it Saturday, 12/12.

I also stopped to buy some baking ingredients and items (baggies, paper plates, etc.) to lay what I make on to bring to the tables. I came home to put everything away that I bought and ran a bath. Then I sewed the binding on the three mug rugs so that I can hand sew them tonight while watching the Dancing With the Stars Finale.

Elsewhere in Southern Cali, people were shot. Their families are forever changed. Just like that. And my guess is that there were more events around the world not so close, and just as tragic. Although my lights are electronic, a candle is lit on my altar tonight. Just because. Its December and there is much and more to love here on Earth.