Blog January 22, 2006

Dear Friends,

This weekend as I crisscrossed Central Park, the first snowdrops delighted my eyes. There they were, pushing aside the nurturing soil that covered them in the darkest days and popping up. neck first, snowy blossoms facing the earth.

The days are getting longer and so are mine! The healing rest after surgery has allowed me to pop up too. My lifelong friend, Elizabeth, was with me for this past long weekend and we were indeed out and about. We walked Fifth and Madison Avenues on the grey day and went to the Met for the African exhibit and the Jewish Museum for the William Steig exhibition. We pondered Pinter’s The Homecoming and Beckett’s Happy Days as part of our literary heritage. We sang lots and lots of old favorites at a sing-a-long at the JCC.

If all of this sounds like a lot, I nap in the afternoon and am being nourished by wonderful meals delivered with love by devoted friends.

And of course the news of the optimal outcome from the surgery is adding to the bounce of my step.

I am often asked if I am practicing. Of course I am and I use the lessons of yoga every hour, starting from when I opened my eyes and embraced the world in the first conscious breath after “being under.” I credit yoga with my experience of being able to ease pain and have a positive attitude pervade all my sheaths.

My daughters and their families have been wonderful as have been so many devoted friends who are communicating with me above and below the radar. I am the grateful beneficiary of your prayers, meditations and thoughts.

I have been to the Institute and will go more regularly next week to gradually resume my life there and my teaching. This week I will also start a 2-month regimen of chemotherapy. I have clearance to go on my annual trip to Isla Mujeres with Dean Learner for my beloved Feathered Pipe the first week of March so life is indeed going on positively for me.

All the Best to all of you. I know it is a cliché, but don’t forget to smell the flowers… or at least smile them…

With appreciation and love,
Mary

Dear friends,

I am into my second day post surgery.

The operation went really well. The surgeon reported that it was an optimal result! So I am very pleased as you can imagine.

The first few days are a little tough, but I am making progress on all fronts.

Thank you for all your prayers, meditations and good thoughts.

More later.

With love,
Mary