Wednesday, September 15th, 2021. 12:08 AM.
Hi Eileen
Was just recalling that your birthday is coming up next month on October 9th.
Also remembering that my childhood friend Charley Desjardins was born the same year, 1952, on the last day of July. I have his obit. And it was a Thursday. October 9th, 1952 was also a Thursday. And, according to an old Woonsocket Telephone book from, I don’t know, maybe 25 years ago – which I no longer have – Charley lived on Glen Road for a time in his adult years. I don’t know which house it was. I also recall that after “the summer of ‘74” came to a lowly end for us in August, I subscribed you to Reader’s Digest for one year. I wanted you to remember me at least once a month when your magazine came in the mail. And I’ve always liked reading. I subscribed to Reader’s Digest for years. And I still have a fond memory of reading to you from your textbook on the beach, George’s Beach, during that “Summer of ’74.” You were taking a summer course at URI in children’s literature. I enjoyed reading to you. You didn’t give me much time though; only got to read a few sentences to you before you stopped me. Wish I could recall what that story was in your children’s literature textbook. Also wish I could read again a short short story from our 7th grade literature textbook. It was near the beginning of the book. We must have read it in September of 1964. It may have been called “The Red Apple.” And a sister and her brother were in it. The sister’s name was Amy and the boy’s name was Mark. I don’t remember anything else about it. Actually, when I try to recall the author’s name, I think: Robert Hager; I’m not really sure if that was his name. I have a hunch that the stories in that literature textbook might have been excerpts of longer stories – so, their titles may not be the original titles – and so, it is probably very difficult to find the story unless one had the literature textbook of our class.
Eileen, may I subscribe you to a magazine for your birthday? Or, buy a book for you that you would enjoy owning and, perhaps, reading? Or else, may I buy anything else for you and, perhaps, have it sent directly to you from the seller? [Sorry, I can’t afford to buy you a house – like 116 Glen Road. I still recall, Eileen, that you told me in 1974 that your parents bought that white house for $50, 000.] I would really enjoy doing that, Eileen. I would really like for you to own something that you really like – that comes from me – so that your heart would be comforted by it – that you would have a peaceful easy feeling in your heart about it – even a sweet, heart-touching feeling.
And another thing, Eileen:
Your daughter was born on a Wednesday.
And so was I.
And your daughter’s name and my name both have 4 letters.
And the first 3 letters are exactly the same.
And that reminds me of a beautiful song in which Julie Andrews sings a verse about:
“the first 3 letters just happen to be . . .”
“Do-Re-Mi” – THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965) – YouTube
Mark
October 9th, 2021 will be the 282 day of this year.
It will be a Saturday.
“Come Saturday Morning” by the Sandpipers
1,359,135 views
May 14, 2013
Wish I knew what hour and minute you made your entrance – just to contemplate that fact about you, Eileen. For example, since I was born at 8:23 AM I think I was born just in time for the morning school bell to ring us into the classroom, Eileen. And, maybe, it also indicates I’m a morning person – but not too early in the morning. And, I like to think 8 is my number – not only because I was born during the 8th hour, but also because 8 figures into my life in other ways, too. We started first grade in 1958. I know, Eileen, you weren’t with us at St. Charles School until fourth grade in September of 1961. When my family moved into a “new” home in May of 1961 on the Saturday night before Mother’s Day, our new address was 80 Sweet Avenue. And, I think, the house we lived in was the 8th house on Sweet Avenue if you count the house at the corner of Sweet Avenue and Cass Avenue. And, also, if you count the houses from Elm Street – including the house at the corner of Sweet Avenue and Elm Street (which is the house that Charley Desjardins and his family lived in) then our house in the backyard at 80 Sweet Avenue is still the 8th house on the street. And Charcoal, my cat, and I moved into John F. Kennedy Manor on January 23rd, 2008. [23 again: the minute I was born]. And the apartment is on the 8th floor. And our first school graduation at St. Charles School was after completing 8 years there – in June of 1966. And Eileen, do you remember that moment we met on the first floor of the apartment house I lived in on Carrington Avenue? You said you were doing a Catholic Charity Fund Drive that day. It was Monday, May 8th, 1989. And the address was 180 Carrington Avenue. Just this year, I happened to find an entry in a handwritten financial journal notebook I was keeping while living at that apartment that showed the date we met there. And on May 13th we met at the Di’Angelo’s Sandwich Shop in the South Bellingham Shopping Center. We had sandwiches and ice cream sundaes. You suggested the ice cream sundaes and paid for them. I bought the sandwiches. $6.60 for the sandwiches. Today is also the 13th – of September. And 8 + 13 = 21. This year is 2021. And Charley Desjardins departed on April 20th, 2020.
I’m imagining, Eileen, that the reason you haven’t said nor written a word to me since May 27th, 2020 is because it would be so enlightening for us to be friends again that you are afraid of the Light and afraid of True Love – and afraid to believe the gospel of God and be born again.
You Are Holy | Jesus Image Worship – YouTube
Eileen, remember in May and June of 1974 we walked with the RI Hikers Club?
The following song’s video shows a motion picture of someone walking in the wilderness – like us walking with the RI Hiker’s Club.
The name Eileen means light
There is still a connection between us, Eileen – I can feel it in my heart . . .
I’ll never forget you, Eileen
And I’ll never push you out of my mind.
Love and Light and Spirit are not pushable . . .
They are receivable, though – by the grace of God through and by the faith of Jesus Christ our Lord.
You’re with me, Eileen
God, Who is Love and Light and Spirit, put you there in my heart
And that is where you belong
Our heavenly Father knows what He is doing – even if we don’t.
All we have to do is trust Him – as sheep trust their Good Shepherd.
He takes care of everything . . .
So, don’t worry, Eileen
Just be at peace in Him, in His Love and Light and Spirit.
“in the name of the Lord Jesus thanks be to God the Father through him.”
-Colossians 3:17 ESV Study Bible.
What about buying a study Bible for you?
I could order it from Christianbook.com and have it sent directly to you.
If you would like to visit their website and select the one you want and send me the order number, I’d order it and pay for it for you. Or, if you prefer something else let me know. They have hundreds of Bibles – so, it is difficult to decide. I have a hard copy of the ESV Study Bible and it is also “large print;” but I find it so very heavy, even while sitting down with it, that my arms hurt. I’ve owned it for many years and read it every day.
The gift may be something else; it doesn’t have to be a Bible, nor a book.
It could be an article of clothing, too.
Or a gift card, maybe an eCard.
As for me, I’m really taking it easy these days. I can still go out for a walk 3 or 4 times a week; and I can walk fast sometimes, too; on the other hand, I’m also noticing that my left calf sometimes aches after about 7 minutes of walking. Sometimes, I stop for about one minute and then continue; and often, I just keep walking and the ache goes away. Other than that, I stay home, except for walking to Family Dollar for food; or taking the bus to Price Rite on Diamond Hill Road about once in 2 or 3 weeks.
“So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” -John 10:7-11 ESV Study Bible.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10&version=ESV
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” -Revelation 21:1, 2. ESV Study Bible.
Mark's Imaginings 