♰ 2026 April FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 ♰

During this Christian holy week, I came upon a thought of the importance of Jesus Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and why he rode on a donkey instead of with great fanfare and celebration.  Not all who are truly important are celebrated with fanfare and glamour.  Usually those who are humble and true don’t want it.  Their importance is revealed in other ways.  By entering as a king, Jesus challenged the authority of the Roman Empire, but in a nonviolent manner.  Unlike a conquering king who might arrive on a warhorse, riding a donkey highlighted His role as a humble, peaceful king. 

Did you know when you mix honey and ginger it dissolves inflammation in your joints?  Did you know when you mix oatmeal and cinnamon your blood sugar is stabilized and afternoon crashes? 

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”  “Some friendships are deeper than others.  You trust your soul to them.”  “Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.” Aristotle 

The strongest people are not the loudest.  The most powerful words are often the quietest.  “Patience and Silence are two powerful energies.  Patience makes you mentally strong.  Silence makes you emotionally strong.  Patience trains the mind.  Silence protects the heart.”  Abdul Kalam 

Aint Daisy is on vacation this month.  She’ll be back by May. 

I have two cats.  One (Gidget) is an opportunist and the other (Jada Jane) is a thinker, loves to cuddle, and cagy.  I have a room I prefer they not go in unless Tara or I are with them.  There’s just too much to get into.  It wasn’t time for the evening feeding, but it was sort of a snack time---well, Jada Jane thought so.  I had to open the special room door too turn off the light I’d forgotten to turn off.  I didn’t realize Jada Jane was hovering close.  The door opened and in she ran.  I knew if I put some food pellets in her bowl, she come out and to the bowl.  Sure enough, she ran in, and the room door got closed quickly.  I told my daughter, Tara, “Jada is calculating.”  Tara laughed and said, “She’s more cat-q-lating, Mom.” 

“April showers bring May flowers.”  I’ve heard this for years, and as I get older I notice there is a difference in the April showers of 30 and 40 years ago.  They seem to be more torrential now with darker skies and more severe lightning.  But, the flowers seem to stay the same---beautiful, rich in color, and refreshing.  Pansies are my favorite for a variety of reasons.  They don’t seem to “collapse” as quickly as jonquils and daffodils; the color selection is just about overwhelming because I’d like to have every one; their scent is gentle and alluring; but mostly it is how they look.  Every time I see one I see an angel in the middle.  Most people have told me they see a face.  Well, o.k., but it looks like a pug dog’s face.  I didn’t see the angel until Stephen and Tara came into my life in 1999.  I’ve told you they are challenged…they are in the autistic spectrum.  They see the world so refreshingly different than cynical mature people.  We were at a local nursery looking for flowers to put in pots.  They stopped at the pansies, and there was silence.  I watched as they gently bent over looking deep into each flower.  They touched each “face” ever so lightly with one finger.  They turned to me and whispered, “Grandma, come here and see what we found.”  I approached and stood next to them.  In unison they whispered pointing to the pansies, “Grandma, look what God has brought you---angels.”  I choked up looking at them and could barely say, “Yes, He has; oh yes, He has.”  I think we bought 24 plants so they could enjoy their angels.  We buy pansies every spring---for the angels. 

A Japanese legend says about crying:  “Crying is just a way your eyes speak when your mouth can’t explain how broken your heart is.”  I dedicate this column/newsletter and that statement in the memory of my beloved sister, Colleen, who passed away suddenly on March 27, 2026.  She was unique, loving, kind, and touched many lives throughout hers.  The memories I have are precious.  Love, Dew

🎂 2026 March FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 

March, the third month of the year.  The saying, “in like a lion, out like a lamb” applies to most places, but I live in Illinois.  Illinois has its own saying---“Maybe I’ll come in like a lion; maybe I’ll go out like a lamb.  But, I’ll change right in the middle of the day at any given time and even change seasons three times.” 

It is named for the Roman god of war, Mars, was the first month in the early Roman calendar, and marks the beginning of spring with the Vernal Equinox, bringing events like Pi Day (3/14), St. Patrick's Day, and International Women's Day, plus traditions like Daylight Saving Time March 8. It's known as the "Stormy Month" by Anglo-Saxons and features the Pisces and Aries zodiac signs, with daffodils as the birth flower and aquamarine/blood stone as birthstones.   It’s my birthday month, too.  I’ll see #81 this year.  What blessings I’ve had. 

Oh that Brenduhh!  She came over all in a fluff.  “Hi, kiddo, how are you today?” I inquired.  “Well, I had quite a time on the road, Trudy.  I had to call for roadside assistance due to a flat tire.  The fella arrived and started taking off the stuff that holds the tire on my car.  I guess I asked him too many times when he’d be finished, because he kept saying, ‘Bear with me.’  It really scared me because I kept looking around and didn’t see any bear.  I didn’t want the bear to sneak up on me and me be its lunch.  You know they can hide.”  I told her I was glad she was all right and didn’t see a bear.  I offered some tea and a cinnamon roll to calm her nerves……well, really to help me not have my eyes stick in the top of my eye sockets. 

Have you ever been so angry you just about can’t see or think straight?  I have.  It’s unsettling.  I came across a piece of wisdom.  It said, “You cannot see your reflection in boiling water; nor, can you see truth in a state of anger.” 

There are unusual words for everyday things.  Even our bodies have them.  Glabella---the space between your eyebrows.  Wamble---the growling sound your stomach makes when you’re hungry.  (Also, the sound of a mating whale when you’re in a place there is to be silence and your stomach announces, “FEED ME!!”)  Phosphenes---the spots or light patterns you see when you close your eyes and press on them (“seeing stars” is what I call it.)  Minimus---your smallest toe or finger. (When your small toe finds a piece of furniture and stops you immediately and you do the pain dance, you utter maximus words your mother didn’t teach you.) Columella nasi---the bit of flesh separating your nostrils.  Crapulence---the awful feeling after overindulging in food or drink. 

When Guy and I were teaching, we had many levels of “mental accomplishment” (that’s what we called intelligence).  One day we were walking and a convertible car drove by us going faster than the speed limit sign suggested.  A kid stood up with the wind blowing their hair all around, waved their arms, and yelled, “Hi Mr. and Mrs. Ripka!!!”  Guy looked at me and said, “There goes one of my fourth hour students.  It looks like they are refueling their brain.” 

When one of my children, who was about 6, was taking a bath one evening, I heard a lot of splashing and cheers of glee coming from her.  Cautiously I entered the bathroom---one never knows what one will find with this kid and her exuberance---and asked her what she was doing.  With as much gusto as before she happily replied, “Oh Mom, I’m just surfing.”  The bathroom looked it, too. 

I like dogs.  I was wondering what different breeds would say to changing a light bulb.  Here are some:  Golden Retriever: The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid burned out bulb?  Border Collie: Just one. And then, I'll replace any wiring that's not up to code.  Dachshund: You know I can't reach that stupid lamp!  Rottweiler: Make me; just make me.  HA!  Boxer: Who cares? I can still play with my squeaky toys in the dark.  Lab: Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeze let me change the light bulb! Pleeeeze, please!  German Shepherd: I'll change it as soon as I've led these people from the dark, check to make sure I haven't missed any, and make just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried to take advantage of the situation.  Cane Corso:  If it moves and doesn’t live here, it’s curtains for it.” Chihuahua: Yo quiero Taco Bulb?  Now, here is what a cat would say:  "Dogs do not change light bulbs. People change light bulbs. So, the real question is: How long will it be before I can expect some light, some dinner, and a massage?" ALL OF WHICH PROVES, ONCE AGAIN, THAT WHILE DOGS HAVE MASTERS, CATS HAVE STAFF. 

While driving, I see humorous alert signs from Illinois Dept. of Transportation.  Here are a few:

“Text while driving…..Oh cell no!”;  “Don’t want to meet by accident?  Don’t text while driving.”; 

  “No texting, No speeding, No ketchup.”   "Keep your eyes on the road and your head out of your apps."

Do you like tongue twisters?  I do.  TEXT TEST; SLY SALLY SLANDERED SAL SLIVER; 

QUICK QUALITY QUESTION; CHICKEN CHASERS; WAFER WAFFLES; TRUSTS TOSSED;  

PLEASE PLEAT PLAIDS. 

“Patience and Silence are two powerful energies.  Patience makes you mentally strong.  Silence makes you emotionally strong.”  Abdul Kalam   Patience trains the mind.  Silence protects the heart. 

The richest wealth is Wisdom.  The strongest weapon is Patience and sometimes silence.  The best security is Faith.  The greatest tonic is Laughter, and surprisingly, all are free. 

Do you know the difference between a New York lawyer and a new York lawyer? 

“Come on in here, chile.  I got something for ye,” Aint Daisy hollered from the kitchen.  Oh the odor coming from that room of love.  I knew she’d been baking her rolls and pies.  “Set yerself down an’ I’ll bring us out some rolls and butter.  They jess came otta the oven.”  I about drowned in my saliva!!  She came out with two plates, knives, butter, napkins, and a basket of rolls.  “Hep yerself while I go git something I got fer ye.”  I could not resist taking four of the hot rolls.  Sometimes it’s best NOT to tell me to help myself, especially when it’s something I love to eat.  She returned with a lovely wrapped box and set it in front of me.  “What have you gone and done, Aint Daisy?”  She smile, sat down across from me and encouraged me to open the box.  This here is yer birthday gift, chile.  So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you!!!”  I gently unwrapped the box.  There was a lovely, yearly calendar.  I opened it and in the bottom of each daily square was neatly written “gift”.  365 of them, to be exact.  I smiled and said, “This is so nice.  Thank you.  I needed a calendar, too.  Why is the word “gift” written on each day, if you don’t mind me asking?”  She smoothed her apron, which told me something wise was going to be said.  “I wrote the word “gift” in each daily square so you would be reminded that each day, every day is a gift to you from the Lord.  What you do with that gift is a gift to the One who gave it to you.”  I smiled, had  tears in my eyes, and thought for a while about the truth this dear soul had said.  More wisdom from the Lady of the Holler.

***I do NOT know why there is a glitch in the format.  I'm sorry it is not consistent all through the reading.  I didn't know how to fix it!!  grrrrr

That’s all for this month.  Smiles and good thoughts are coming you way.   Always, Trudy J