Summer in the City

Yes, my mind's ear is hearing the old song by Lovin' Spoonful when I write this.

It's been an adventure. We have had our first overnight company when my husband's family drove down, and we enjoyed it very much. There will always be one more thing one wishes to have done when family comes to town. With the exception of the humidity and smoke making it hard on the lungs of some, it was fun for all. I even got to work on a couple of them! The worst part about seeing family in pain is when there is nothing one can do to alleviate it. Thankfully one hip and another headache were assuage.

The seasonal job has drawn to a close. My last day was July 6, but it has all seemed very long and heartbreaking since the heat of summer began. As my supervisor put it, "When you know more, things take longer, because you are trying to make plants look like what you know they are supposed to be." Well put, sir. Sadly, not all stores have their watering standards up to snuff. Still, helping make people happier and doctoring plants are two of my favorite things. The botanical world is immense, and we humans have barely touched on the miracles of holistic healing, be it herbal medicine or plant therapy. Getting to grow and sell that which helps a person's mind or body is very satisfying, and I have been thankful to have the outlets to do so. When selling plants, it is important to advertise the benefits and the special features- not unlike running a business. In a world where people only have a name, a vendor can give the umbrella under the name. In my world of massage therapy and plants the two umbrellas collide and intersect the way nature and God intended.

The more I look at the world, the more it fascinates me with its webbing and rhythm. Having kids 3 years apart, for example, was not planned. Nothing about them was planned, but now I have a kid in Driver's Ed who will be ready to carpool the other two if needed, until they each graduate into the role. Could it really have been 16 years ago that I left home as a rebellious woman who only loved working with plants and talking to people, only to move to KC and have a kid on my rocky road? God has always been gracious to pull me out of my self-destructive messes, and He gave me the best family for me to learn love and patience from. Sometimes it is good not to be so patient, though. After being officeless for over a month, I have reached the go/no go for taking my landlord to small-claims court. The time out of the office because of flooding overlapped with the busiest time of year for rehab from mommy makeovers, and it was costly. While one can not control the rain, one can maintain drains. Besides that, it wasn't even raining the day that it happened. I love my office and would love to keep it, but it was unjust for a landlord to abuse a contract and take over a month to fix a 10x13 office. In spite of my ire and the impact on business, though, I am on a road toward growth and good energy. It is time to let it go and cleanse the office. Life is full of tiny moments in which we choose to act in good energy or in justifiable anger. Time will tell if my not pursuing the lawsuit is the right move. May a bit of good karma come my way.