“What is joy, if it goes unrecorded? And what is love, if it is not shared?’ (Jennifer Worth, Call the Midwife)

This blog has evolved over time from a requirement in my doctoral program to a healing space shared with readers and a desire to share life with my future grandchildren and children. Life is too busy to think back and reflect; yet, I know that, in time, my beautiful ones, you will read the memories, gaze at the pictures, and watch the videos with tears and laughter. Whatever emotions or thoughts you may experience, don’t judge them or worry. Sit with them and paint your own story.

“Drama is about relationships. Love stories, crime stories, comedy and tragedy are all fired by the ties between others and ourselves.” (Heidi Thomas, The Wisdom of Call the Midwife)

We notice the ties when we spend years cultivating relationships. In the beginning, ties are iffy, yet, over time, they strengthen through shared purpose, stories, and heartaches. I’ve been blessed beyond measure with the ties of friendships. You may not notice the tie at first. Naturally, you walk together, work together, and do life together through shared events such as work, place of worship, hobbies, and extracurricular activities.

I turn a year older in a few days. I seriously can’t remember my age and find the humor in not wanting to stop and do the math. I’m over 55 but not yet 60. My friend Karen May picked me up and took me to Topping, Virginia, where we dined by the water of the restaurant Merroir. From there, we went to Yorktown by way of Gloucester, VA. Parish and I lived there early in our marriage when Victoria was only a year old. I showed her the church I worked at, our post office, the road to our home (Guinea Road), and the shopping center where Parish worked. He worked as a manager in training for Peebles Department Store. As we traveled over the Coleman Bridge to Yorktown, I laughed and shared a story of the ships passing by and my Victoria having a diaper that needed changing. Long years ago, but I so quickly remembered. We lived with one car and a serious budget, and we would turn in cans for cash at the local “Donkey Machine” that no longer exists.

After enjoying the water and the sand, we had dinner and sang songs all the way home. We harmonized, talked about our love for music, and laughed.

At one point, we acknowledged that our humor could only be appreciated by a few and that “we just get each other” (igloos with fishing knives).

Karen shared a one-liner from her conversation with her 90-something aunt, who is caring for her 90-something husband. “Relax and love your husband.”

We talked about that one line for a while. The importance of caring for oneself and the priority of loving our spouses.

Why do we love the series “Call the Midwife” so much? I think it’s because we love the focus on the trivial and seriousness of the days spent. The sand, the water, the food, the memories, the curiosity, and most of all, the ties.

Spend your days in the ordinary my beautiful children. The ordinary is as extraordinary as you make it. Not by money or worry. Not by hyperfocus.

Relax and love.

Your mom, Gigi, Great-Gigi, ……..

P.S. Valentina, Karen May, was in the room with you when you were born.