Category: Grateful Heart Monday

Welcome to another Grateful Heart Monday, where gratitude remains the only focus of my writing at the start of each week, which for today is for my next-door neighbor Veronica and the small tokens of thanks she’s given me for the work I continue to do in her yard.

It’s been well established that I’m quite anal retentive when it comes to my own yard and gardens. For the most part, I really do enjoy the hard work I put into making it look as inviting as it seems to be for others. Most people probably don’t know though that I also maintain the front yards on either side of my home as well. On my left, I began doing that when the health of its owner went downhill a few years ago. On my right, I started doing it just a few months back after learning the tenant, that being Veronica, was working double shifts, going through a difficult break-up, and struggling with depression through it all. Because I have a lot of free time, I decided to help her out like I have been with my other neighbor. My only hope was that her seeing a tidy and well-manicured yard after the long days she puts in would brighten her spirit. As I’ve continued to maintain it, along with my other neighbor, as well as my own, I’ve been grateful just for the feeling it’s given me doing something selfless for others.

Sometimes, my selflessness has brought me small tokens of thanks from others. Last fall for example, when cleaning up a good majority of our entire street from all the leaves and debris before a huge storm came in, a neighbor gave me a little money, while another gave me a huge box of high-quality garbage bags after I had used all my own for the job. Honestly, I never expect anything from any of the work I do like this. After all, it’s something I’m doing just to help make life easier for others. Twice now though, that help has come back in small tokens of thanks from Veronica who gave me $40 on one occasion and a $50 gift card to Starbucks on another. And I was extremely grateful for it.

Ultimately, I’ve learned in life how important it is to do selfless work through my 12 Step recovery program. Giving away part of myself for the benefit of others, asking nothing in return, has been an incredible joy in my life and a stronghold for keeping sober. In my recovery world, that’s translated to me sponsoring others, running meetings, volunteering at local addiction recovery centers, and providing alcohol and drug education to both nursing and Greek students from the University of Toledo. Outside of that realm, it’s also translated to me helping out both of my neighbors by doing my best to make their front yards look very welcoming.

While I have never expected any gift or anything really from any of the selfless work I’ve done, it’s always a true blessing and joy to receive one when I do. So, thank you Veronica for saying thanks in a special way. It brightened my day, as much as my work in your front yard has seemed to brighten yours. I’m grateful to You today for thinking of me and I dedicate today’s Grateful Heart Monday to you…

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

Welcome to another Grateful Heart Monday, which for today’s piece of gratitude, I just wanted to offer many blessings and thanks to God for orchestrating a wonderful visit from my sister Laura and my youngest nephew Luke last weekend.

I truly must give the credit to God for bringing this together, because frankly, not more than a month or so ago, she and I weren’t even on speaking terms, mostly because I was being bull-headed about several things, none of which need to be gone into anymore. Regardless, it wasn’t my self-will that eventually overcame this stubbornness because it was much of my self-will that had prevented us from reconnecting. Rather, after praying over this repeatedly, somehow, I had a change of heart, and ultimately, so did my sister. Honestly, if you had asked me a few months if I thought I might actually see my sister this year, I would have said probably not, which is why this trip was such a miracle. Nevertheless, over the course of three solid days, we all did some rather neat things together.

On day one we went to a science museum in downtown Toledo called Imagination Station. It was my first visit there ever and I was so glad to have shared it with them. I was quite thankful that all their hands-on exhibits were able to be touched again, as COVID had prevented that up until just recently. One of the many highlights there included Laura and Luke getting a great laugh as I tried to do this pulley-thing that’s supposed to bring a person up into the air, but laughably, I kept falling to the ground. A few other notables included sitting in a flight simulator where Luke had us driving all over the runway and even flying upside down at one point, experiencing Level 1 hurricane winds in this huge tube where we both screamed over the noise of it all, riding a thrilling motion ride that we all felt dizzy after, and watching my nephew build circuits in a science workshop. After we left there, we had a cookout on our driveway where we scarfed down some tasty burgers, corn, potatoes, and slaw. At the end of the night, I took a swim in the hotel pool they were staying at where I felt some much-needed joy as Luke laughed uncontrollably at times while horsing around.  The evening ended after playing a few games of Harry Potter Uno. All in all it was an amazing start to their trip here.

On the middle day of their trip, I drove us to Sandusky, Ohio, where we had lunch at one of my favorite diners in this area, Berardi’s Family Kitchen. Everyone enjoyed their meal a lot, especially the Boardwalk fries they are famously known for there. After there, we went to Goofy Golf, which is one of the best miniature golf courses in the area. Before we started playing it though, Luke won a ton of tickets in the arcade and found a few prizes he liked, which made me happy. When we finally started playing some putt-putt, I think I had more fun watching everyone giggle as they hit their balls repeatedly on some of the holes, then me playing the game itself! We were all pretty hot after finishing, so we went to an incredible homemade ice cream joint in the area, Tofts Dairy Ice Cream Parlor, where the portions are always HUGE! After Tofts, I drove us to Marblehead Lighthouse, which is such a beautiful place to see Lake Erie and Cedar Point off in the distance. I love to take guests there and am so grateful that Laura and Luke loved it like I do. By the time we arrived back at my home, we were all starving again so we went and got a pizza at Mama Mary’s, which is the closest to New York style pizza here to what I grew up with in New York itself. The evening ended with another great swim and more laughter to brighten the spirit.

On Laura and Luke’s final day here, we visited The Toledo Zoo, as Chris and I are members there. We tend to take most of our guests there the first time they come for a visit. While my sister has been there a few times already, Luke hadn’t, which made for a new experience and appreciation, especially when he told us he liked the giraffes the best, which we all got a pretty good look at on the train ride we took. Unfortunately, the crowds were immense, so we didn’t stay as long as we usually would. Once home, Luke helped me pick up some leaves without me even asking and that truly moved my heart, specifically when he said that he knew I was going to have to pick them up later, so he wanted to help! What a great kid! That night we all went to Rosie’s Italian Grille, which has never disappointed me with anything I’ve ever eaten there. We got to sit on the patio near the ponds and appreciated listening to the soothing waterfall sounds along with seeing the playful coy fish and turtles in the pond itself. Our evening ended with multiple games of Harry Potter Uno again, where one game just went on and on and left us all in stitches!

Parting the next morning from them at the airport was truly difficult. After enjoying a breakfast at a local IHOP and dropping them off at Detroit airport, I sobbed uncontrollably in my car as I drove home. They were tears of sadness for them leaving and joy for such a wonderful visit. Overall, this trip was truly a blessing and a gift from God, and something I will forever remember and be grateful for.

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

It’s time for another Grateful Heart Monday, where gratitude is always at the core, which for today is for getting a very old Gary Fischer bike up and running again after it had been sitting in a storage unit or a garage for over 14 years!

Many moons ago, when my mother was still alive, one of the gifts she gave me and my partner at the time, Jerry, were two really nice brand new Gary Fisher mountain bikes in early 2004. They were meant for recreational use on the island I was living on at the time, that being Chincoteague, Virginia, where the bed and breakfast I once owned was situated. While Jerry didn’t use his bike that much, I was on mine on just about every day and truly loved it. At my peak, I’d spend several hours covering usually 27 miles on it or more, which I found to be such a healthy escape, one that cultivated inner peace each time I did. Sadly, when I left my relationship and my life at that Bed and Breakfast in May of 2007, my bike went into storage and remained there gathering dust ever since, floating from one storage unit to another, until eventually it made its way into my garage here in Toledo a number of years ago, where many times I’d sit on its seat, hoping to one day ride it again.

Up until my early June trip to Saugatuck, Michigan, I hadn’t ridden on a bike since 2010, when all my health issues began. My mind and body had never really felt up to it. But, after doing a few miles on a bike from the resort Chris and I were staying at during that trip, and then doing another 14 more on a rental during my visit to see Cedric in Massachusetts in late June, I thought it might be finally time to try returning to an activity I really missed, even if it was on a limited basis based upon my health. Looking at the state of my old bike in my garage was a sad sight though. The chain was a mess, the wheels weren’t spinning anymore, the brakes weren’t working, and the tubes in the tires were shot. The frame on the other hand still looked to be in good shape, so I had a little faith. Enough so, that I loaded it into my partner’s vehicle and headed to CycleWerks Bicycle and Fitness in Whitehouse, Ohio, as they had been recommended.

The first question I asked as soon as Luke, one of the repair technicians there, approached me was whether it was financially feasible to repair my bike or should I scrap it. Truthfully, I think if he had said it was beyond repair, I probably would have just left it with him to scrap and left all desire to bike again on the back burner. Thankfully, he didn’t say that though and instead said he could get it back up and running for less than $200! I was ecstatic to hear this news, mostly because the bike also represented a loving memory of my mother.

A week later, I was back at the shop to pick my bike up, where sitting on it once again and taking it for a quick test ride on a trail nearby felt totally exhilarating. When I got it up to almost 20mph, I smiled, feeling grateful to have it fully functional again. But, truly the most grateful moment in this experience has come right now with a thought.

Maybe just like this bike being able to get fully restored when I thought it was truly down and out for the count, that my health can be too. All it took was holding on to a little faith when I brought my old Gary Fisher bike to a shop simply because its frame still looked ok. So, maybe I just need to keep a little faith in the Master Technician as well, leaving my frame in His hands, continuing to believe that He too can and will still fully restore me as well…

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson