touch of tenderness

When I sat down on the couch in my new fuzzy Easter socks, clouds filled the sky. I opened the windows to fill the living room with warm breeze and mentally crossed my fingers for a little thunder and lightning.

Now, the sky is blue and filled with sunlight. Go figure. At least it will make my drive to the theater a little easier. Despite knowing everything is fine, I can’t help but be a bit cautious on that 91 freeway in the rain. The memories of February’s accident are still pretty clear in those conditions.

Back to my now-sunny couch time. The dogs are playing with new toys from my PastorBoss. She so kindly and generously blessed me with an Easter basket this morning! I was so surprised! And she included some puppy toys for Yoshi (who, of course, was nice enough to share with Tootsie- in exchange for avoiding a smackdown, I’m sure).

There’s a little over an hour before I have to leave, and I suppose a nap would be a wise preparation for a late evening of performance. Part of me feels like I should do something special, since it’s a holiday and all, but my options are pretty limited. Due to the scheduling of WorkChurch and the show, this time is probably best spent chilling with these oh-so-patient dogs before they are confined to my room for the rest of the night while we’re gone.

If I am honest, I can’t pretend that I didn’t think about the fact that I’m spending a lot of Easter Sunday alone. It felt like Christmas day all over again. The textbook “right” answer is that we’re never alone because God is always with us…. and while that’s true, for some reason, it doesn’t always feel comforting. It hasn’t been so bad though, today. Love from church families is fantastic, and I’ll be spending the evening with my theater family. So it’s not a bad way to spend Resurrection Sunday. :)

There’s a lot going on in my life right now that I won’t share in a public space. You that have known me for awhile are somewhat familiar with the ups and downs of my chemically-imbalanced brain. This season of vulnerability was met with a thoughtful gift this morning, sweet kindness that drew out a few tears before a morning filled with smiles, kids, and hidden Easter eggs. And this is just one example of God’s grace delivered by the hands of caring friends. Small acts of love make a big difference- that’s been the theme of my April-of-Insanity. I have friends who impact my life more than they are aware. These are gifts that are never forgotten.