ME-as I go through this zany, marvelous, difficult experience called: "LIFE"!

These are difficult hours and challenging times for my sister, her children and my family. Cancer has stolen a member of my family. Cancer has won the battle, taking someone dear from us. Pasquale is now held tight in The Mighty Arms of God. Pat is in the Presence of Jesus now. When I first me Pat, he was dating my younger sister, Theresa. Being so protective of my younger sister, I thought of Pat as just a stubborn Italian. I questioned the sanity of my sister, dating someone who obviously did not fit what I had in mind as a suitable boyfriend for her. When it was obvious that Pat and Terry would never be apart, I loved Pat because I loved my younger sister. At some point, I began relating to Pat and I did grow to love him. I also began to realize that I, myself, was as stubborn as Pat was. As years passed, Pat and Terry were blessed with 3 children, Vincent, Michael and Evelina. I loved these children as if they were my own children. Now, the love...

In the midst of sickness threatening my body, uncertainties in my life, indefinites and trials experienced by those I love, and the craziness in the world, I fumbled through all the whys. I recently fixated my eyes on a water lily blooming in the pond of the courtyard where I live. This water lily was astonishing and placed just where it was supposed to be. I began to wonder. In these dark times, God placed a thing of beauty for my eyes to see and savor. I then realized the blessings in my life. This enormous love was in my life, a love with no boundaries. Love coming from God, seeping over to family, friends and others had me realize the good in my life, in people and in the world. I bowed my head and uttered words of gratitude to God!                                  Evelyn Pinto    ...

The last posts I’ve shown, as earlier ones, are with me dancing. I have to say, though, movement for me comes with a cost. The more the movement, the greater the cost is to my body, especially my lungs. Movement, like dancing, the cost to me is significant and extreme. Though I’ve shown myself dancing, I haven’t shown me quickly plunge myself to a seat and immediately put my supplemental oxygen on and rest, a lot of the time bedrest, for hours. At times, these hours are all night. It’s just that my quality of life means more to me as my medical conditions worsen. As I grow older, my quality of life is even more vital to me. If I dance today, I know I’m going to pay for it tonight and most likely, it would worsen my medical conditions. I just want some normality in a life of sickness and stress. And I really, really want to dance! Love, peace and prayers, An exhausted and fatigued,             ...

This morning, some of the residents, living in the building in which we all live, had our monthly ballroom dance lesson. Our ballroom dance instructor was Michael, is talented as well as compassionate. Though most of us have mobility issues, Michael is supportive in strength as well as learning our manners of movement. This is all with the help of Gay, our activities director, and Gloria, Gay's assistant. Our activities director, Gay, made ballroom dance lessons for us possible. For that, we are ever so grateful! Michael, who has learned all of our names, begins our lesson with the "fox trot'! (I think that's what the dance is called). Most of the residents, whom I live in the building with, are a generation older. I, growing up in the 60's and 70's, has developed my own style of ballroom dancing. C'mon, in those days, most of us moved to our own music. And I did, when I moved to my own music, though other music was playi...

We can't wait "til Micheal, our ballroom dance instructor, comes here (the building I live in) so we can "DANCE"! Let's Dance!            Evelyn Pinto            June 9, 2017

My 40 th College Reunion at Emmanuel College was yesterday, June 3 rd , 2017. As I did when I attended Emmanuel College as a young adolescent woman some 40 years ago, I felt a combinations of feelings. There were times I felt a special and precious comradery with the women of my class. There were, also, the times I felt so alone, as I did, at times in my college years. There was much kindness and love shown to me yesterday and last night. For this I was grateful, and I continue to also be so appreciative to my fellow class women, even as this new day approaches. I realize some may never understand the struggles and the trials I experience daily. I’m sure, though, each and every one of us women, in retrospect, go through their own struggles. Worlds different and, in some ways, drastically diverse from the life I live, I did experience a fellowship with the women of my class, the Class of 1977 of Emmanuel College, now 40 years later. We are, now, mo...

Friends can be as close as family. My friend Joan is a non-biological sister to me. We are that close. This morning we enjoyed breakfast together. It was a precious time with priceless moments between dear friends. Joan and I, as close as sisters, shared several moments together this morning. Joan and I, today shared our lives, as we shared breakfast. Love, a grateful and blessed friend                 Evelyn Pinto                June 2, 2017