Dear, Mom -
I sure hope you are chipper today. I am sure the isolation from your friends is disheartening and confusing. But I always have my hands around your heart giving you reassurance. As your daughter, I love you and I'm always here in spirit when I cannot be physically. In order to make you feel better, let's start today's letter off with a little visualization exercise. Sit back and close your eyes. Picture me sitting next to you. I reach out and take your hand and put it in mine. I hold your hand. My hand is very warm and it feels good in yours. I don't want to let go, so we will just sit like this for a minute. Take a nice deep breath in and then let it out. After a minute or so, I let go and I take both of my arms and I wrap them around you and give you a big hug. It is all encompassing love. You do not need to have any fear. You are safe and warm and have a feeling of contentment. We can just sit in this moment for as long as you'd like. You can listen to the rest of the letter with your eyes closed, if you'd like.
This morning, I got up and took Elsa the dog to Pier Park. We like to play hide and seek. I do the hiding and she does the seeking, but we have fun doing it as we walk. The trees in this park are very old and tall. They are mostly coniferous, but there is a smattering of pretty deciduous trees with their leaves turning color as fall progresses.
Yellow leaves among the greenery.
Elsa is a bit blurry, but she was looking for me as we played hide and seek.
Technically, we are naughty because it is a city park and dogs should be on leash. There are lots of people who would lecture me and say Elsa needs to be leashed. Elsa and I go to this park because it is very large and she can run run run. She doesn't bother other people and she wants to patrol for squirrels and smell and sniff. Whenever someone comes toward us, I put her on leash so they won't feel uneasy. Elsa is an animal who needs to run. When we go to the dog park, she only runs along the fence. The other dogs don't interest her. If a pack of dogs start running and chasing each other, she gets very vocal because she is a herding dog. She becomes the sheriff and she wants all those pesky dogs having fun to listen to her. We do take her to the dog park, but when it is she and I, we try and do things that stimulate her more. I want to make sure she has a good and happy life.
I also take her down the street from our house to the Baltimore Woods. There are little trails to run there. She loves to poke her nose down in the grass and look for mice and rabbits. It is our little slice of heaven close to home.
A wild, apple tree bearing fruit.
A heart shaped leaf that reminds me of you and dad.
This huge leaf fell and landed perfectly on some ragwort.
This is where the tree fell over the path, but Elsa just jumps over the lowest branch.
Today was the last day off for me until the weekend. If I hadn't of been under the weather, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. It has been nice to rest and enjoy my birthday with no obligations. I still have helped Birgit, but she is like family so that isn't really working in my opinion. And she didn't have any appointments, so we were able to stay around the house. Tomorrow I am back with Philippe and Bob until 2:00. Then I will be home and I hope we can have a video chat. I miss seeing your smile and hearing your voice.
You are very strong, Momma. And I will never let go of you. You are still bundled in my arms. As you go to sleep tonight, please know that I am next to you and that we are safe and warm and happy. The day the doors open again for us to physically be together, I will be there with you and you won't just have to visualize it. We cannot wait for this day.
🐶🐞🐢💖I love you with all my heart. Your Daughter, ---Sally Ann💗🐺🐾🍁
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