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“What have I learned but
the proper use for several tools?
The moments
between hard pleasant tasks
To sit silent, drink wine,
and think my own kind
of dry crusty thoughts….
Seeing in silence:
never the same twice,
but when you get it right,
you pass it on.” 

 ~ Gary Snyder, excerpt from “What Have I Learned”

 

Over the past year, I wondered numerous times if I’d make it to this April to celebrate one more trip around the sun. Well, I did, and find myself stretching the celebrating and gratitude part out (or maybe more like milking it for all it’s worth!) as long as possible. Gladly. Ah. One more day! 

 

Ever the student, I’ve learned that less is more when it comes to pretty much everything, including saying less and instead doing more meaningful things for others. Simple things are the best, and simple people often are not ‘simple’ at all. 

 

I’ve learned that we are gifted many lessons as we go through life if we’re willing to stop and realize that fact. When I was one year old, I put my hand smack into the birthday cake, with a big surprised smile of discovering what birthday cake is. When you’re one, you’re delighted with a fistful of frosting. You don’t have a long list of wants. 

 

At 10, I wanted. Art supplies, store-bought clothes, books, a new Girl Scout knife, records, a radio. A horse. 

 

When I was 16, I wanted. A car! Clothes, parties, Seventeen magazine, art supplies, books, my own phone line. More! 

 

At 25, I wanted. A house, a truck, jewelry, Cosmopolitan and Playgirl, clothes, pretty shoes, parties, trips–you name it. More! 

 

Things change over the passing of time, and by 60, I still wanted—in a whole different way. Time with those I love. Just the gift of being with one another, sharing a glass of wine or coffee, laughing, enjoying and being present in the moment. 

 

Time is fleeting and sweet. It runs through our hands like the softest sand, no matter how hard we try to hold it. We lose those we love, everything changes. So, this birthday I’ve returned back to the way I started that first birthday: happy with the most simple of things—a hand in the cake of life shared with those I love. What goes around comes around. 

 

Saluda Community Land Trust (SCLT) will have a clean-up workday at the Saluda Dog Park on Chestnut Street on April 29 at 9:30 a.m. The dog park will be expanded, and have updated landscaping with native plants/pollinators, new turf, kudzu removal, and more—thanks to Polk County Community Foundation,  Polk County Beautification Committee,  and City of Saluda. For information, call SCLT at (828)749-1560.

 

Saluda Moon Glass Studio is hosting “Musings Under the Moon: Tales, Tunes, Truth and Trivia” in the Depot courtyard April 29 from 6-7:30. Sushi/drinks available–bring your own beer/wine/lawn chair. Musings include a rendition of The Paper Bag Princess, Cole Porter tunes and Rodgers & Hart, old-time gospel and more.

 

Saluda Mountain Song Community Chorus will have another performance of “Sing, Sing, Sing! A Celebration of Mountain Life,” if you missed it on Thursday. The next one is on April 30 at 5 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, at 900 Blythe Street in Hendersonville.  

 

A special Saluda Get-Well goes to Poppy. 

 

Happy April Birthday to: Melody Gibson, Dave Prudhomme, Kaye Vazquez, Cindy Keeter, Hope Pace, Diane Pace, Greaton Sellers, Clay Arrington, Bonnie Bardos, Luther Connor, Gary Pace, Doug Honeycutt, Julie Roy, Taylor Thompson, Loretta Cook, Hilda Pace, Elizabeth Taylor, Laura Morgan, Roberta Cart, Joan Beddingfield, Anne Lee, Mabel Pace, and Mary Jo Wannamaker. 

 

Feel free to contact me at bbardos@gmail.com, (828) 817-6765, P.O. Box 331, Saluda, NC 28773, Facebook, or visit bonniebardos.com.