November 10... changing light...

So I have been hearing a lot of people complaining. Mostly about the coming of winter, the chill in the air, the fact that it now gets dark at 4:00 p.m. I have to confess - I love it. There are no leaves to block the light so that during the day there is a very different light in my house. It's wonderful. At about 4:00 the sky becomes a very different blue than in the summer. And it's not even so much about the hour - there are no leaves for the sun light to reflect off of, the black branches reach up and stand in sharp contrast to the Chagall blue of the sky. It's fantastic. It's inspiring and paint-able, makes me want to be creative. And because it's 4:00 or 5:00 pm - I'm not inside cooking or eating.. I'm available to catch the view, to admire the trees standing tall, the sky deepening. It takes my breath away. The bite in the wind let's me know I'm alive. The beauty of it all fills me.

March 3 ... the real thing...

As I pondered my gratitude and what to write today I went down several paths. I could write about connecting with middle daughter today. She continues to grow, be smoke-free (!), make healthy plans, and celebrate her son. I'm grateful for that.

I also considered sharing about young pregnant daughter being open with me, sharing her insecurities, having some real insight into her "stuff", being able to discuss and understand her self through metaphor. I believe we are allowing ourselves to get closer. I'm grateful for that.

I had lunch with a friend today. He told me about some of his difficulties. Told me how much he appreciated the way we could share with each other, how much he appreciated our friendship. He said when we were together it was often like a great sea opening up, allowing him to be honest, direct, authentic. I told him that was not my doing, but his own. I'm grateful for our friendship.

All that being said, the one simple, lovely thing, that really made the essence of gratitude well up in me today - was the light. It's 5:30 p.m. and it is still light out. It is dusk actually, sky soon to turn that beautiful deep Chagall blue. It feels like it's easier to breath all of a sudden. Days are getting longer. Things are opening up. I am grateful.