Day 93

8/15/22

Today, we had a long walk with Lilly, Ranger and Asher. There are days when I go solo with the pups, but it was nice to have Mac along to hold a leash or a hand.

As I looked out at the Rum River, I realized my grandson was on the banks of the very river where his great-great grandfather harvested ice for his business. Grandpa Farrier was the Ice Man in town. He would cut huge chunks of ice from the river and then sled them back to the icehouse to store for the summer. When the hot weather arrived, he would hitch up the very same draft horses that had pulled the ice up the banks and deliver smaller chunks to homes in the area. These folks would use ice tongs...we still have a pair...to carry their ice into the kitchen and place it in the icebox. Now, for Asher, that would seem to be eons ago, but we are talking about my grandfather here! Feeling a bit ancient...

My other grandparents had the Green Theater on Main Street. Grandma Closson would sell tickets and then go play the piano for the silent films. Again friends, these were my grandparents...feeling beyond old at this point.

The only grandparent I knew was my dad's mother who we called Nanny. She was a cookie baking, dinner making, apron wearing, rocking, hugging wonder. She was my precious friend and soul guide. I learned so much from those gnarled hands that could sooth a worry away with a loving touch to my face. I was so blessed to have her for so many years. She left us when she was 93, but her legacy lives on in all who knew and loved her. (It felt appropriate to add her to this 93rd entry. It is an honor to be called Nanny by Asher, even if my full title is 'Hey Nanny!')

Leaving a legacy has never really entered my mind until this morning as Mac and I walked with our goldens and sweet Asher. I tend to embrace the moment and trust that the distant future will play out eventually. If I WERE to give some thought to a legacy for Asher, what would I want to pass on? Embracing my Inner Nanny, here are a few of my thoughts:

*Be honest, unless you are going to hurt someone. Then choose silence.

*Always choose kindness.

*Help whenever and wherever you see a need. Even if the recipient seems unsure, step up, help and err on the side of goodness.

*Enjoy life. It is such a gift and we should try to never take it for granted.

*Be a true and loyal friend. Be there for those in your inner circle...even when it would be easier to avoid a situation.

*Play and laugh hard. Both are nectar for the heart.

*Embrace music and art. They will never leave you and will surround you with deep and wonderful emotions.

*Love your family fiercely and unconditionally. If you can avoid it, never let anything get between you and those you hold dear.

*Explore, experience, and wonder. Never stop learning or growing.

*Get a dog (or two or three or four). They will show you how to live life to the fullest.

If I shared these thoughts with my sweet goldens, they would look me in the eyes, give me their full attention and, somehow know exactly what I was saying. Their lives are a legacy for me each and every day as I learn how to love unconditionally.