Reflections

I could write many a post about the joy of the holiday. But I will pause for now to pass along this website that provides prompts for reflecting about the last year and the year to come. Hope it raises some good questions for thinking about the past and making manifest the future.

http://www.reverb10.com/the-prompts/

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Longest Night

Tonight, I believe, was the longest night of the year. I filled the hours of darkness with food, friends, and a fire.

fire in the fireplace

 

 

Duckles and Elmo are excited about Christmas!

Now Winter Nights Enlarge
by Thomas Campion

Now winter nights enlarge
This number of their hours;
And clouds their storms discharge
Upon the airy towers.
Let now the chimneys blaze
And cups o’erflow with wine,
Let well-tuned words amaze
With harmony divine.
Now yellow waxen lights
Shall wait on honey love
While youthful revels, masques, and courtly sights
Sleep’s leaden spells remove.

This time doth well dispense
With lovers’ long discourse;
Much speech hath some defense,
Though beauty no remorse.
All do not all things well:
Some measures comely tread,
Some knotted riddles tell,
Some poems smoothly read.
The summer hath his joys,
And winter his delights;
Though love and all his pleasures are but toys
They shorten tedious nights.

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Elmo. Home. Life!

As I was sitting at the kitchen table, trying to polish the last grad school application essay due today, I suddenly saw my surroundings with refreshed perspective. I have been in this apartment for twelve months, and it is cozy and full of things that make it home. I love my Peanuts calendar and the December page that says “Love is believing in someone.” I love the Ivey Hayes poster of women dancing with bright colored fabrics. I love the framed art piece Matt gave me that says “If you ask me what I came into this world to do, I will tell you I came to live out loud!” which confuses some people because I am not always loud in volume. I love that as I finish my essay for graduate school applications, a paper mache Elmo is looking at me, holding a sign that says “Life is good.” I love the small candle holder that M painted for me, the little duck that Catherine gave me. The kitchen table from my childhood, the Christmas potholder that was my great aunt’s. The blanket I’m sitting on that Evan and Emily helped me make, the mess of pens and papers and medicine bottles and stationary and coffee cups. They are signs of love and a life enjoyed, a life connected and full. I also love the view of the treetops out the window, the neighbors with wreaths on their doors and lights on their balconies, the dogs that roam with their owners.

Elmo and Ivey Hayes poster. Life is Good.

On a different note, when I was organizing my cds tonight (while watching Rachel Maddow!), I found three cds I thought I had lost. I also got to do a Christmas errand, knit a few rows, watch a new tv show with some friends, and take time to write this post. And on the way out the door this morning I took a moment to put in earrings, and received three compliments on them at the doctor’s office, which cheered me up and made me think of my dad who picked them out.

I also laughed a LOT at more posts from DamnYouAutoCorrect.

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Technology is sooo helpful

I think every school would be better with unicorns

If you click this link, be prepared to laugh out loud, perhaps even until tears stream down your face. Thanks Iimay!

http://damnyouautocorrect.com/category/best-of-dyac/

 

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Hyperbole and a Half

Joy:

detailed, MS paint-illustrated stories that make you laugh out loud for ten minutes when you’re by yourself.

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/

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Appreciation

Mary passed this to me.  I think it’s really touching to read the appreciations of so many different, anonymous people from all over the world.  A way to see the good things about life.  Perhaps you will add your own.

http://appreciate-it.com/

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A Wednesday evening list of thanks and joy

Donut and coffee.

Serendipitous run-in with old acquaintance.

Someone sitting across from me who responds to the “huh,” “mm,” and sighs of my filling out applications.

Butterscotch croissant, what?

Loving emails.

Finished an application.

Bought a present.

Really comfortable pants I can still wear in public!

A scarf.

Hope.

Joy.

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