It has felt nice

not to have the "pressure" of thinking I need to blog.  That is an interesting way of looking at it, as blogging "should be" a pleasure.  It "could" and "can" be very insightful when you "have to" put your feelings into words.

I think you get the drift.  Pressure, should be, could, can, have to . . .

But, I realize that blogging is recording my history, and that recording my everyday life is going to be the best way to document my life and the lives of those before and after me.   So, I've decided to post every day, even if it is just a picture with no explanation.   That way I won't lose the days and wonder where life has gone.
 
I've been spending a great deal of time working to get my brother, Gary's, history compiled and completed with pictures inserted.  He has lived an amazing life of service and industry, and it is very hard to watch as he becomes weaker and less able to function without help.  He continues to inspire me as he deals with the effects of his Parkinson's disease.  

In his own words: "It is not easy to feel gratitude for declining health.  I’ve had to accept the fact that my inability to do things for people is OK.  I never realized that this would be the situation at this period in my life and I have been humbled by these circumstances.   I need more and more to persevere and try to keep the commandments, which includes how I respond to my circumstances and includes the responsibility to persevere to the end.  This includes responding to your health problems with a measure of grace and dignity." 

I feel very grateful that Gary insisted he pay me to help compile his history.  I would have done it without payment, but he would not have let help unless I accepted payment.  That is the way he is. He is always so conscious of not imposing and of serving instead of receiving service.

This has been a sweet time.  Sometimes between my bad hearing and his weak voice, it can play out like a comedy of errors between us.  But we laugh about that and he is very patient with me.

We've got the manuscript and pictures to the point that I was able to print a spiral bound 182 page black and white large print draft.  There are still needs of editing and adding more pictures, but I feel like we are at the point of wrapping it up so Gary can stop feeling the burden of trying to finish it.  After that, any changes and additions we make will just be to refine and not to create.