Cold Days can Create Unlikely Friendships
Anything can happen when Sasha the dog and Ryan the cat can contentedly share space in front of the fire. When my daughter sent this to me on the weekend, even though I am not a cat or a dog person (with a few exceptions), I thought this was a good example of peaceful co-existence. If only humankind could take a leaf out of their playbook and put aside differences. You can see from the photo that it benefited both of them.
Whistling and humming and singing and maybe even yodelling
A newish writer, Paul Loomis, with whom I am becoming friends (in the manner of my writer friends, who I haven’t met and they have no idea of my existence), lives in the Netherlands, and his writing gets translated into English. I subscribe to his free newsletter, which is short and sweet, unlike my more wordy musings. Refreshing.
Recently, he wrote about whistling, something I haven’t thought about in decades. And it reminded me of how whistling can lift our spirits.
I so wanted to be a whistler both as a girl and an adult, with relatively little success. My family might put it more succinctly, “Mom can’t whistle.” “Painful.” You get the picture.
Still, I perk up when I hear the occasional whistler. Curiously, I rarely hear a whistler anymore. I wonder if any of you whistle. How about sending me a little recording if you do? I would love to hear from you.
This is an excerpt from Paul’s newsletter ( we are on a first-name basis now)
“When someone whistling a tune passes you across the street, it catches your attention. It’s like encountering something special, something precious: a breath of wind, a handful of shells. Whistling and singing arise naturally in a relaxed body!
Forgotten Landscape
When someone sings loudly on a bicycle or rides with their hands free, it smells of a forgotten landscape of our dreams. Of carefreeness and open-mindedness.
It’s something you can’t train, but something that happens to you: suddenly you’re humming a song, and it expresses exactly how you feel: lighthearted, fresh. It’s not a state you can conjure up, but you can create the terrain in which it can arise: if you can calm your worries, accept your uncertainties, if you can accept the ‘now’.
No weight
It’s not that there are no worries anymore, but the worries carry no weight. It’s also not that there’s no friction, but the friction doesn’t tie knots in the rope. Not everything has to go smoothly, because you can sail against the wind just as easily”…he goes on to write about his ideas but the one that resonates with me is this – Have faith. Not that everything will turn out fine, but that you’ll be able to handle it no matter what happens.” (my emphasis)
Now for some Playfulness
Roger Whittaker The Finish Whistler
CBC super whistling cut-up for your amusement. When you have had enough, you can stop the video. :-))
Julie Andrews from The King and I For old times’ sake and the whistling component
Now For Some Serious and oh so Hopeful News in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Across the Alberta Children’s Hospital, innovation is improving outcomes — including in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. With community support, teams are advancing care for babies whose illnesses or injuries put their developing brains at risk. The results are life-saving and life-changing — and they are so impactful that experts from around the world are looking to Calgary to learn from this work.
My good friend Patti’s granddaughter was cared for in this unit and, against all the odds, is thriving as a young girl. The video I watched a while back is 8 minutes and amazing. To hear stories and see the team at work under the lead of Neonatology, Dr. Khorshid Mohammad, a Syrian Immigrant to Canada, left me awestruck.
Anyone with professional and/or personal interests in this research will benefit from the 8-minute video, and everyone who watches it will be inspired. Real-Time Research at Childrens Hospital
On this Thursday, the 5th of February, at 1:00 pm MT, there is a Caring for Kids Radiothon, and Patti’s daughter and granddaughter will be interviewed. This link in particular will be of interest to friends and colleagues in Alberta. Caring For Kids Radiothon – Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation
NOTES
1) Something to think about: The revered polymath Rabindranath Tagore, the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature and in any category, had a special friendship with Einstein. On Einstein’s birthday, Tagore wrote to him and said this: “To him who knows all my faults and still loves me, my salutations.”
2) May we all take heart as we navigate difficult times. Let’s keep room in our days for lots of moments of laughter and cheer, and friendliness. (for ourselves and others) We especially need these when the seas are rough.
3) With a deep bow to all of you, dear readers. I am grateful for your time, kindness and encouraging words.
PS My daughter, Meghan, provided the banner photo, although she has no idea that it will be here. It is a surprise for her and coincidentally during her birthday month, one she shares with her daughter. Jenn, Rowan’s aunt, took this beautiful photo several years ago.
You made me tear up Trudy. Thank you for sharing Dr Mohammad’s inspiring research and work. We are forever awestruck and eternally blessed. 🙏❤️
And one more note if you don’t mind … a deep deep bow to Dr. Korshid Mahammad … he is as compassionate, committed, beautiful, kind, and absolutely brilliant as you can witness in this video. To this day, he keeps in touch and is a generous, gentle, lovely presence in our lives. My heart.
Thank you, dear Patti, for introducing me to Dr.Mahammad. He is one in a million and clearly beloved by all his patients and families. I am inspired and filled with awe when I see what goes on under his leadership. A warm and deep bow to you and to his team, Trudy
What wonderful news and I am especially delighted to hear this news coming from Alberta. All is not lost!! And as a young child, growing up in AB. the man next door was a whistler. And Trudy, I haven’t thought of him in 75 years! The man could whistle, trill, hit high notes, low notes and I used to believe he was part bird!! Lovely memory tonight and incredible news.
Hi dear Pat: I am happy to hear that I was responsible for such a lovely memory. Thanks for telling us about it. And the story of what Dr. Mahammad and his team are doing is remarkable and awe inspiring. Warmly, Trudy
Hilarious mom! I love the banner photo and, of course, you and this lovely weekly blog xoxoxoxo
Thanks dear Meghan. You are an enthusiast. Love from your mother.
Having even a brief experience of the Civic NICU, I appreciate absolutely everything that is being done and developed to help save these newborns. Thank you for this Trudy. xoxo
Yes, dear Janice. You do know what that is like – waiting and hoping and wishing/praying for that wee baby in NICU. There are such wonderful people devoting their lives to saving the lives of the most vulnerable.I am awestruck! Gentle hugs, Trudy
What a lovely read as I wait in the carwash line. We too have a miracle baby now -a lovely woman and mother herself.
Always a special place in my heart.
Thanks dear Jean. I also have a miracle great nephew. What seemed impossible became possible. He is off to University this year. A deep bow to all those brilliant hands, minds and hearts working to save lives and helping them to live well.Warmly, Trudy