[Magdalen] This saying No is tough

[Lynn Ronkainen]

...see Ann, this thread still has life!

in re Marion's comment - when my mom still lived half way across the country 
I looked at her random and lengthy phone calls as a 'gift of listening' - I 
often did things while we talked (and I mostly listened), but I'm now 
thankful for that as she now, post stroke, has a hard time holding a phone, 
touches buttons and mutes or disconnects and has lost her great joy of 
calling friends because she usually hangs up on them, or drops the phone. 
Little things like this happen so easily and with such finality, slowly 
taking away joy. I often try not to dwell on it.

Lynn

My email has changed to: houstonKLR at gmail.com

website: www.ichthysdesigns.com

When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I have not a 
single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything You gave me." 
attributed to Erma Bombeck

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From: "Marion Thompson" <marionwhitevale at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2015 11:24 AM
To: <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
Subject: Re: [Magdalen] This saying No is tough

> When one gets older and, perforce, lives alone, loneliness and the need 
> for human contact often kick in.  Maybe not for all, but I have two 
> elderly friends who call and I recognize their need and do my best to 
> accommodate them, perhaps doing penance for not having had the same 
> forbearance when it was my own mother.
>
> Marion, a pilgrim
> On 2/3/2015 12:08 PM, Eleanor Braun wrote:
>> I'm totally with you on this, Ann (and Scott).
>>
>> And to Scott's point, it is so much better regarding information if it's 
>> in
>> writing.
>>
>> Eleanor, aka Swiss cheese for brains
>>
>> On Tue, Feb 3, 2015 at 12:00 PM, Ann Markle <ann.markle at aya.yale.edu> 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Yep, I prefer email as well.  It's not hiding for me, but efficiency.
>>> Wordy telephone conversations may be great for extroverts, but I just 
>>> don't
>>> have the time or patience for them, unless they're necessary - and 
>>> usually
>>> they're not.
>>>
>>> Ann
>>>
>>> The Rev. Ann Markle
>>> Buffalo, NY
>>> ann.markle at aya.yale.edu
>>> blog:  www.onewildandpreciouslife.typepad.com
>>>
>>> On Mon, Sep 22, 2014 at 3:55 PM, Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, Sep 22, 2014 at 1:27 PM, Marion Thompson
>>>> <marionwhitevale at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Nothing to do with anything, but it's refreshing in this day and age
>>> when
>>>>> someone actually bothers to call voice-to-voice rather than hiding
>>> behind
>>>>> the neutral email.
>>>> I don't consider it hiding, and I find it helpful when people use
>>>> email if all they're going to do is give me information or make a
>>>> simple request for information.
>>>>
>