Sweet and salty, these no bake Blueberry Cashew Caramel Clusters with DOVE Chocolate are going to be your new, go-to summer treat! Be sure to sign up for my email…new recipes in your inbox **This post is sponsored by DOVE® Chocolate. I’m excited to partner with them this year to create delicious recipes for you! All opinions […]
Source: Blueberry Cashew Caramel Clusters with DOVE Chocolate – Shugary Sweets
TURN ME BACK
Turn me back
To another time
Another place
Where smiles
Were abundant
Where giggles
Played so loud
Where cotton candy
Made my day
When death was
Not mentioned
And sickness
I knew not what
Where bikes
And skipping
Took over
Bring me these
Pretty days again?
Written by,
Terry Shepherd
06/11/2016
Sitting here on Pebble beach
Talking to the waves
“Can you hear my heart
Oh quiet one?
Can you feel my pain”?
Wishing things were different
Knowing I can’t go back
Seeing surface changes
I know it’s not for real.
“You say nothing to me
You only whisper in my ear
I can’t make out the words.”
As I sit here I feel the answer
You penetrated my soul
I must head in the direction
I must stand and I must go.
Written by,
Terry Shepherd
06/11/2016
I fell a few days ago for the first time. My gait has been bad for some time, and always feel like I am going to fall; but don’t. I didn’t expect it and I didn’t get hurt either; so I was lucky.
Today, I decided to make some bean salad and potato salad. I had previously boiled the potatoes last evening, so all I had to do was cut, dice and put together. I boiled the eggs today and after cooled; I made the two dishes. I thought they were perfect for this hot, humid day.
I suppose I was standing for about half an hour or so making these two edibles, when suddenly, I felt weak and the Parkinson’s tremors kicked in. Fortunately, I was almost complete with my task. I cleaned up everything and put the dishes in the refrigerator.
My heart suddenly sped up and I knew if I didn’t lay down; I was going to be on the floor again. At this point of this disease, I have a pill I can take to try to calm the tremors down, so I grabbed a bottle of water and swallowing the pill; I laid down with the fan blowing on me and waited for it to take effect.
While waiting, my mind drifted back to my brother. I usually think of him daily, along with my parents; but some days, I think of Alvin so hard, my heart aches terribly and tears well up.
I thought back to how he ate so much sherbet the last week or so of his life. Oh, he didn’t eat a lot at one time; but this is what he always wanted. A few sips, and he was done. Multiple System Atrophy/ Parkinson’s had really done a number on him by then.
He could barely swallow, speak, he couldn’t move at all. It broke my heart watching him go from a 285 pound, smiling, young 59 year old man, to a withering, small, 145 pound shell. This is where today, I sometimes feel like the odd ball.
His illness brought out all the compassion, empathy, sympathy and every other emotion a person can carry while taking care of him. It never left. I still carry it with me. I believe this is somehow a small reason that I changed, and will never return to the Terry I once was.
As I lay on the bed, and I listened to the petty talk on the TV show, as I thought of all the people glued to their cell phones, or computers, or whatever item they can’t be without; I realized, it is cold to me.
There is nothing for me without being able to use these strong emotions; that makes me feel content. There will never be another emotion that will stir me up more than helping, sitting, watching, or caring for a person who needs someone. I have a gift, I believe.
I can feel what they feel. A sense of desperation, a feeling of hopelessness, sorrow, tears, and yes, even sharing a giggle or two. It dawned on me as I was laying there waiting for the medicine to kick in, that this is why I see things so different today than before Alvin got too ill. Between he and God, I learned many lessons. Now if I could just figure out how to use this to my advantage, and yet have my tremors hold me up, I may feel content once again in life.
