Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Bits and Pieces

Bitsandpieces The small things of love’s labor- unassuming, day to day moments, consistent, and soothing as a lullaby.

Unattached pieces which are often unnoticed that bind familiar fragments, of un-monumental minutes together.

One by one- the aroma of morning coffee, the worn true shoes on the creaky floor, the splash of cold water on one’s face. the daily paper, the dog’s bark…

Gathered softly with little thought, the stories underneath unfold.

One by one, sometimes intertwined, mostly in whispers,

The silent film unwinds.

The familiarity of the day, that is healing in itself. What little things thread familiarity to your day?

Comments

28 responses to “Bits and Pieces”

  1. Shelley

    Corey, We are here for you when you need us. <3

    Reply
  2. Gail

    Take care, sweet friend.
    xoxo
    Gail

    Reply
  3. Frieda

    wow! I have been away and I just found out about your Dad. My prayer for his quick recovery and his wholeness. His is blessed to have you there with him. That should count a lot.
    Hugs and kisses

    Reply
  4. Laura

    Live in the moment…they are bittersweet, I know. Thankfully you are able to be there, yet it pulls at your heart and makes you really examine life. The difficult part is that you don’t always like what you see…
    Prayer still come your way. Replies are fewer as all of us know we could not read nor post if we were in your shoes.

    Reply
  5. tommie

    my routines. I am a creature of habit….

    Reply
  6. sonrie

    I have been reading your blog for several weeks now…since the infamous matchmaking weekend. I have said some prayers for your father, and for you and the rest of your family.

    Reply
  7. Mary

    Waking to the sounds of familiar birds, especially the pair of wrens who’ve made a permanent home on my front porch. The coffee brewing, strong and black, then slowly poured into a favorite ironstone mug and carried to the computer. Viewing first your always beautiful post, often now sad, but which still opens me up to embrace the day.
    Daily routine, a good if mundane thing. When disrupted it brings stress, possibly heartache, when loved ones are not within reach. I know you must long for your routine, but you are in the right place for now and we admire you for your strength Corey.

    Reply
  8. Barbara Sydney Australia

    The thud of the daily paper being deilvered, sunshine streaming through my bedroom window, the sounds of my street coming to life and the certainty that tomorrow morning will be the same.
    Prayers and love to you all

    Reply
  9. martina

    Waking up and remembering to be grateful for every day and many blessings. The cat meowing-doing her version of a wake up call. The dogs stretching and yawning and then running to the deck door to do “security checks” of the yard. Sunshine and the smell of fresh mowed grass, The singing of the robins-especially that one who perches in the same spot every morning. Anticipating the taste of the double tall latte from favorite neighborhood barista.

    Reply
  10. April

    My husband is gone to Russia for a while. I am finding that every day is unfamiliar. Not being able to pick up the phone 10 times a day or talk to him about dinner or cry about work is strange. I thought about you and what and who you are missing being here while your family is home. I know you carry yourself with enviable grace. I pray that the familiar sustains and the unfamiliar brings gratitude for the sustenance.

    Reply
  11. Amylia

    Figgy, my little guy, curled up next to me or perched upon my feet in the morning, quickly meowing after sensing my awakeness to let me know it’s feedin’time, curling up under the covers for a few minutes waiting for my feline friend to come back purring madly after eating. The sun rise as seen through the blinds in my bedroom–the gentle pinkish hue it casts on my pale yellow walls….the dark blue color my living room becomes at sunset…the noise of my grandma watching “Wheel of Fortune” below me and hearing her voice, along with my ailing grandfather’s voice faintly each time I descend the stairs to leave my apartment….the daily phone calls from mom, sis, soon to be Taiwanese husband…even the six shots of insulin I take each day provide comfort, knowing I am well taken care of, the click of the needle lancing my fingers ten times each day, often showing me a reassuring number….the sound of birds chirping now even as snow falls still in March here in Wisconsin…my favorite Wisconsin Public Radio voices doing their thang as I drive in my car, a hug from a loved one most days….
    priceless moments I cherish.

    Reply
  12. Elaine L.

    Reading your words makes me remember to appreciate how comforting an ordinary day can be.
    I found this to be so true when I had cancer. I longed for the day when treatment would be over and life would become ordinary, again.
    Thank you for the wonderful and beautifully written reminder.
    Love, ~elaine~

    Reply
  13. Nel

    Familiar things can be so bittersweet. When my girls were away with their dad, I longed for the things they would normally do even if they were annoying little things just to stir me up. Or just to hold them and see their face, hear their voice, share in a smile. Even to be nagged by them… strange the things we yearn for when the heart is tender.
    Love & prayers.

    Reply
  14. rel

    Corey,
    It’s the little things that create an air of permanence in an otherwise impermanent world. A friendly word, a passing smile, a wink, a nod, a cafe and some bagette.
    rel

    Reply
  15. Katy

    Coming home to a little dog, Annie, every day who is so happy to see you, you’d think it was the first time you’d gone and come back again. She bounces nearly as high as your shoulders! (Yes, she’s a Jack Russell Terrier.) Then there’s the cat, Chloe, who just sits and looks at you as if she’s saying “Well, it’s about time!” Of course, Chloe will get beside you on the bed and purr like a little motor boat.

    Reply
  16. Jeanne

    It is world day of prayer today (as is everyday a day for prayers for me)
    When prayers go up blessings come down…………..
    I have always carried this in my purse
    I will bring it to read at church today:
    Sometimes God calms the storm,
    sometimes He lets the storm rage
    and calms His child
    and also this:
    “God didn’t promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.”
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th8knBds6Pg
    My Song for you
    Family faith friends…………traditions and routine
    All are fabulous parts of my life
    and prayers lots and lots of prayers
    Spring will soon arrive with all of her beauty~
    Love you my darling friend.
    Love and prayers for you and your family
    both near and far.
    Love Jeanne

    Reply
  17. Kit

    The first cup of Rooibos tea, dogs going out, cats coming in, sun rising. Checking e-mails and blogs. My book waiting for me to switch off the computer and snuggle on the sofa with it at the end of a long day – though sometimes it inveigles me away in the middle of the day, which is always fatal to my work momentum ….and of course the children, the rhythm of their day dictating mine: school, meals, story, bed.
    Lovely image – unmonumental minutes …

    Reply
  18. ally bean

    How I ease into the day…
    Pouring myself a freshly brewed cup of coffee, I say my blessing/mantra for the day: “very good.”
    Gazing out into nature either from inside the house during the winter, or outside on the deck during warm weather, I say my simple prayer: “thank you.”
    Wandering aimlessly around my house or garden with a cup of coffee in hand, I remind myself to: “enjoy.”
    I figure with those three ideas firmly planted in my brain, I can deal with whatever comes along each day. And usually I can.

    Reply
  19. Kas

    The sound of my love’s voice as he says, “Good Morning, Sunshine!”. The roll of his eyes and the smile on his face as he takes in the glory that is me first thing in the morning (bed head, squinty eyes, fingers grasping the blanket as I long to stay in my pjs instead of getting ready for work). Sometimes, when I wake up first I lie in bed next to him and just listen to him breathe. Take him in, soak him up. I simply couldn’t do without him in my everyday.

    Reply
  20. Trish

    Dearest heart…You will find that the memories of this bittersweet time will be some of your best memories even though it doesn’t seem so right now. When my five year old daughter was dying of cancer, I had to live at UCSF and Family House in San Francisco. My other four children had to stay at home with friends in Nevada. Your post this morning reminded me of our hospital room which I tried to fill with little pieces of joy and wonder just to make it through each day…a bright quilt and books from home, a fresh spring flower from the stall on the street, a little goldfish swimming languidly in his bowl, music tapes to lift our spirits, art we made together tacked to the walls, bubbles…when time is limited you tend to live more presently then you ever do in your regular life…which is such a gift. You just don’t appreciate it til much much later. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your wonderful family.

    Reply
  21. cara

    Daily routines are a norm around here.. today my husband has gone out of town for the day.. no lunch at home.. it will be weird. I know that your daily routine has been greatly altered lately.. I hope for some good routines for your future… Bless You~

    Reply
  22. marita

    an old spoon in a sugar pot, an enamel button from a blouse, a hand crochet pillow cover on the sofa…
    the most simple objects of daily life can suddenly become precious objects, looking at them from a complete different angle as before telling you their very personal story within a loud screaming voice yet always in perfect silence.

    Reply
  23. Miss Sandy

    Filling my copper kettle with fresh water each morning, a hot cup of tea or the aroma of Hazelnut Belgian Cafe Coffee, standing with cup nestled in hand, wrapped in my favorite white robe, gazing toward the east woods out of the full length window in my dining nook. Waiting expectantly for the changing tints of the sky to pull the sun over the horizon. Watching the finger like rays filter through the tree branches and caress the forest floor.
    The feel of my husbands arms encircling me from behind as he rests his chin upon the top of my head, his breath wisping across my hair. Warmth, from him, from the sun, for the simple gift of another day no matter what it holds.

    Reply
  24. rochambeau

    Yes Corey,
    Another beautiful post! You are right! It seems the treads of gold that bind us together also hold the secret stories of our life. Many things considered boring or mundane turns into a structure that begins to bind everything together. A foundation for us to stand upon. A blanket we weave to keep us warm and sane.
    xox
    Constance

    Reply
  25. Sugar

    My day has to begin with a nice cuppa tea and breakfast of toast and cereal. Then either a nice hot shower or bath. Those are the things that help start my day nicely. But at the end of the day after some time with family…. I like to visit this site plus a few others. Last, but not least…. my little kitty “Daisy Mae” is always excited to see us first thing in the morning and in the evening. She comforts us and listens to us ramble nonsensical things to her.

    Reply
  26. cat

    Now… reading your blog is what is familiar. At first it was the beautiful photos and the excitement of France,the antiques, the family…. now it’s your grace and beautiful reflective prose. So much goes unnoticed in life’s moments. You help us all refocus on the richness of life. God bless you and your endless endevors to find beauty in what is… life, time,love, and family. Bless your family and endless thanks.

    Reply
  27. tinker

    Just stopping by to let you know I’m thinking about you, your family – and now your spoons 🙂 I don’t know how you do it, but you bring such beauty to the world every day, no matter what else is going on in your life. Wishing you and yours, much sweetness~XOXO

    Reply
  28. Vienna for Beginners

    I like looking out our dining room’s large window with a cup of Earl Gray in the morning, watching the clouds turn pink for a few moments, then fade to white. Observing the sun’s rays winning over the darkness of the night feels very comforting.
    All the comforts in the world to you,
    Merisi

    Reply

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