Through it all, love wins.

Ups and downs, wins and loses, in the end, if you love, if you were love, you win.

It might no be as you you hoped, as you wished, as you imagined, but if you have love, you win.

And so don’t lament the short game, don’t be disheartened by mistakes, errors, failures.

Strive to learn, strive to not repeat miss-queues, and remember through it all,

Love wins.

Not sure what the dictionary says, but I’d define “rapport” thus:

“Ability and consensus between people to get along; having an affinity, one to the other helps this condition;.”

My three kids and I got together with a good friend and her family the other day after work. My kids and theirs had never met. You wouldn’t know it though from the way they got along. They laughed and played. It was inspiring. They were fast friends. Easy rapport.

There were a few other adult folks who where at this gathering too. I’ve been friends with them in varying degrees these last 50 years. There was a lot of shared history co-mingling that evening. Easy rapport.

So fun to get people who like each other together. So much love is possible when we appreciate and enjoy other people — who they are, how they are, what you have together. Easy rapport.

#easyrapport

Living with my fickle head, approaches the unreal,

Longing for more sleep, then refusing slumber in the early hours,

Filled with thoughts, rushing in, piled high,

People, tasks, obligations forgotten, remembered, struggles, failures, piled high,

In the small hours, darkness, in my fickle head.

Can you? Can you take the heat?

Summer underway and I think 103F today…

Not awful…

But not pleasant.

Heat isn’t just temperature…

It’s pressure too,

And struggle,

And discomfort,

Can you take it?

When I came to PB (the company I work for), she was one of the first people I met. Most everyone was welcoming, but she was especially so.

I think we were about the same age, though her two daughters were already young adults. My kids were little at the time. She’s one of the friendliest, very well-dressed, fun-loving, best cooks, generous-beyond- measure people I’ve ever met, honestly.

A classy professional, thoughtful co-worker, creative, faithful soul.

When I started at the company I worked for a different group. I then was asked to move to her group about a year later. We were cube neighbors, and chatted frequently. She was active in her parish, and we talked about the new bishop in the diocese; she’d met him early on.

When my dad passed away, she made a card and had everyone sign it — she handed it to me when I returned to the office and gave me a hug. So so generous and thoughtful.

Dear Corina.

She found out about her cancer about a year and a half ago. She followed doctors’ recommendations about treatment, procedures, diet, etc. She followed it all — surgeries, chemo, radiation, et, al. — and battled with an amazing attitude. I imagine her faith and strong family helped her tremendously.

But the cancer has turned out to be more than she can withstand. The latest word from her family is that she’s deteriorated quite a bit; she’s only expected to survive a few more days.

Dear Corina.

May God hold you in the palm of His hands in your final days, and welcome you with open arms when he calls you home. You’re an amazing human, and I thank God for your life, and the time I got to spend working with you.

And, dear Corina, see you on the other side.

Godspeed.