Good morning All, Escaping COPD, huh? A city? A place of fantasy? That does sound like something Martha would come up with now, doesn't it? She has so much love to share she just wants to get us all in one place and rock us in that big ol' rocking chair. There are times, I'll admit, when I need it. I was sitting outside yesterday afternoon when it finally warmed up enough to be sitting out in the sunshine. I went down to my second favorite "sitting, thinking & reading place" in a swing set in a corner of the yard under a small Weeping Willow tree, behind a big pot of Pampas Grass. The Willow kinda' leans over, a result of some strong winds some time back. It hasn't leafed out yet, but the branches were swaying in the breeze, as were the fronds of the Pampas Grass, making a whispering noise in the warm sunshine. I got to thinking about the escape from COPD business, where to escape to and what I would find when I escaped. Gotta' have gardens, so I put a few into my escape place and stopped right there. It set me to thinking as I looked around me that, in a way, I already had my refuge. My place of tranquility and thought. A place where I can relax and let my mind wander, travel to exotic places, be with you guys, or run and play in the sunshine as I used to so many years ago. I had it right there where I was sitting. You have it too. We all do. It's right there within us. In our hearts, minds and spirits. All we have to do is to open ourselves up and receive the great blessings we have right here within ourselves. Let our spirits soar - and share them. I hope we will never be afraid or embarrassed to let our imaginations go. With imagination, I have had so many of you with me in the gardens. With imagination, you left your tanks, hoses, walkers, aches and pains behind at the gate and so did I. We shared the sunshine together and we will share our tomorrows. We have our city, village, or cloud floating in the sky right with us at all times. Let us never forget to enjoy life.

Sherri writes: "I wonder if any of us would have "met" if it were not for our one thing in common? This darn COPD. I would like to think so."

I would like to think so too, but I don't. We would not have ever run into each other, most likely, and if we did, we would have been too busy to speak. However, we have met now and we have the rest of our lives to make the most of the meeting. Lets do just that.