"True to Life": how to tell your story

How happy it makes me to have times listed in my day-timer, small as the events are. It helps me feel that real life is still, somehow, happening.

The best, the absolutely best thing happened out of the blue: I got an email from a friend who'd been suicidal two months ago, so a friend and I got involved, had her over here to talk at length, to insist she go to a clinic and get meds, start taking them, we'd check up on her. And we did. Today she wrote: I wanted to let you know that I have started to feel better so wanted to THANK YOU so much for being there for me when I was feeling so dark. It was extremely loving and generous of you. 

Thrilling to know she's coming back to herself. I needed especially to hear someone say something nice about me, because stress was still swirling about due to the difficult issue I've been dealing with, that continued swirling today. 

I spent the morning doing stuff for the nonfiction collective, including sending in an ad for the newsletter about my writing book. People in isolation apparently want to write, and I need to find a way to let them know about my valuable book. Any suggestions gratefully received.

My new garden helper came at noon. I love working in the garden but it's a lot for me and I need expert advice and help, periodically, with pruning and location. So we pruned and talked location. It's a peaceful way to spend time.

At two I met Debra for a walkabout; she made me a beautiful face mask a few days ago and today gave me the one I'd requested for Monique, who before had two masks, one made from paper towel and one from aluminum foil - yes, foil, held on with rubber bands. Now she has a beautiful cotton mask, black with pink high heeled shoes all over - Debra's pyjama material.

At three, a Zoom coaching session with Ann, a former student who is writing the stories of her life. At four, an important phone call with my friend the retired lawyer. At five-thirty, aperitif with Monique and Cathy who sold her house yesterday, so we toasted and talked about our past lives, especially a particularly wild time the two friends had in Newfoundland, where Cathy will be moving soon.

And tonight, some of a doc about the kids of 9/11, the ones who were there in the classroom when Bush got the news. It's funny, the affection I regard him with now, knowing how very very very much worse a president can be.

In between, emails, radio, eating, general maintenance. Sitting. Sitting some more. Tomorrow, five events in my day-timer: two Zoom catchups, a walkabout, line dancing, and of course aperitif. So busy. How the time flies.