A wondrous weekend was matched by a magical Monday morning!
With beautiful blue skies & cool breezes beckoning, John & I had sneaks tied & ready to hit the Pennypack Trail by 8:00 a.m. for a 50-minute walk. What a blessing, having such a stunning natural setting for a healthy jaunt. My left calf seemed stiff, enough at one time to have waved me off of even thinking about a healthy trek, but on I forged ~and~ by the time I'd hit the .5 mile mark, it had limbered up enough to lengthen/quicken my stride.
We were late hitting the trail (normally there before 7:00 a.m.) because of the 2nd wondrous part of the morning - heading to Rydal Park for a 9:00 a.m. breakfast with buds Christine & David & Rob, a regular Monday morning tag-up that always gets us smiling!
The third spot of fabulous was stopping at Be Well for a cuppa & to catch up with the Philadelphia Inquirer. The joint was jumping! Most were folks I didn't know - what a far cry from when 99% of the customers were from B.A. & most of the 1% were people like Neil, who might as well be. Which leads me to the fourth ab fab thing this morning.
John had moved us from a table near the door - the only spot available when we first arrived - to nearer the prep/service area. And, although he claims not noticing, right next to a table with an adorable little one. One look & I was a goner. If I'd had a dozen mini cupcakes on me, would have given all to her.
Ah, but she wasn't what utterly charmed my heart, wasn't the most magical aspect of this marvelous morning. Seated with her was her beautiful Mama & two older women. I was floored to discover we were sitting next to four generations - wee one (around a year?), mother, grandmother, great-grand. They were like something out of a book - each as lovely as the Mama & as interested in what was happening around them as their littlest.
I was entranced! This morning, I had the pleasure & honor of sitting next to my ideal eldering scenario. The oldest lives with her daughter, HER daughter & grand-baby live just a few minutes away, and they all seem happy as dickey birds with it all. There they were, all four, having a grand time at Be Well, enjoying the food (Grandma has some food issues, is happy that Be Well bakes healthy), each other's company, the setting & the day. Life as it is ideally meant to be lived, as close as the chair next to me.
John was buried behind the Inky, but I had a delightful gab with the four. The little one is just the right age for a mini, with or without a spot of frosting. Of course, I did my best to lure them to next Saturday's farm market. Mostly, I just soaked in the joy of being next to what I love so well - family living together, with regular contact & apparent appreciation. How we're meant to live, how most of us did until the past 50+ years.
My belief is that you get to better by building on the examples of things that work that already exist. Build on the foundation of what has been achieved. Reminds me of an adage learned back in my corporate days - the best way to achieve success is to find something that works, that serves a recognized need, figure out how to replicate it, then do it.
Today, I sat next to something that works, a multi-generation family that lives close by each other. It gives me hope, seeing all four generations giving & getting the unique gifts that come with their age. It left me awed, looking at the great-grand, knowing she remembers - as clear as I recall this morning - when each of the other two were as little as that sweet wee girl, remember the day each was born, how it felt to hold each for the first time. The sort of life continuum that's a natural outcome of living close by. Time in such a scenario can get happily muddled.
Heartfelt thanks to that charming quartet of females. Sitting next to you touched a wondrous day with a bit of magic!
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