Tuesday, December 20, 2011

The Winter Solstice

I want to take this opportunity to send each and every one of you best wishes for the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, and therefore the longest night in the Western world. 
Perennially, winter is the time of year that our homes are strewn with strands of glittering lights, candles, tinsel and evergreen branches or trees.
This cheery tradition originates in a time lost through the ages.
Light and darkness ultimately represent the cycle of life and death. All things in nature have a rest period, a dormancy, sleep, rest, a 'death', so that the circle of life remains unbroken.
On the night of the Winter Solstice, December 21st, we light our candles as a reminder of the presence of light even in darkness.

Yule Candles
May you have a festive Yule, a Happy Hanukkah, a Merry Christmas, joyous Holidays and a winter season filled with the warmth of love, the wisdom of truth and life-affirming beauty.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Happy Birthday, Keith Richards!

....and Happy Anniversary! 

Patti Hansen and Keith Richards
Thank you, Keith, for making the most of a thoroughly misspent youth (except the boy scouts).
Congratulations on pulling off many seemingly impossible feats.
We love you.
Tell Patti that we love her too!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

In Honor of my Dad and Pearl Harbor

 Or, how I came to be born in southern Indiana .....
 



The P-47

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Attitude Adjustment

When my alarm sounded yesterday, I was greeted by a drizzly, bleak Monday. 
My very first thought of the day was "ugh", which was immediately followed by a mental 'to do' list that made me not want to get out of bed.
As cranky, wrong-minded thinking took over my mind, I was reminded that at the precise moment of my alarm's sounding, a woman I know was making her way to chemotherapy.

Inspiration
I closed my eyes and imagined that I was facing Stage IV cancer, radiation, chemotherapy and all of the attendant suffering.
My small, unnecessary grumblings became miniscule trifles in an instant.
May I continue to be mindful of others. 
May I know compassion. 
May I always hold gratitude in my heart.
May I never take for granted the embarrassment of riches and blessings that have literally fallen into my lap. 
May I always be of service to others.
Thank YOU for reading.