These dark days are rough aren't they? I mean, there are lights everywhere and people frantically baking and shopping like there's no tomorrow, and sometimes I feel like all that energy is lost on something I don't really understand...
For me, these dark days are for slow food, slow company, and enjoying the "now" of it all. I take a lot of long, deep breaths during this time of year. I feel for those that suffer because they're heart is missing someone. I feel for those that don't connect with Jesus in any way, so they dismiss the gift that he is to our world.
I'm working on a painting right now that's so healing to me, it's just the underpainting and yet I can already feel the light in this painting. It's the position of the horse. It's the energy that's full of heart and collection. There's a joy in this horse's movement that's poetry to me. I can't wait to add the next layer to see where it goes. For me, painting has a life of it's own. It's part of the exploration. I don't ever know how a painting will turn out. Once, I started painting a landscape that turned out to be a snow goose flying home. You're looking at that one!
How can we celebrate the end of the darkness? I go back to the things that open my heart.
Find things to give that money can't buy... I love growing food and this year our two dwarf peach trees that we planted four years ago made an enormous amount of peaches. In Northern Michigan, mind you. We canned so many peaches! And I gave almost all of them away for gifts. It made my heart sing!
I give our animals extra food, love and time. (I can't help it, I was raised that the animals eat first. I am amazed at how the chickadees will fly right up to the window in front of the kitchen sink to remind me that there's no seed in their feeder, so out I go to be sure the littlest souls have full bellies when the sun goes down. I'm still amazed at how they stay warm at night.
I slow down and take time to listen to my family who have endless amounts of gripes, complaints, and all manner of injustices to vent about... and they seem to let it all out when I'm listening to them. Sometimes I feel like they have to let go of all that crap so they can make room for some joy. I'm happy to bridge the gap.
I see beauty everywhere. In the smallest of things. I see beauty in my ficus tree that I've had since before our son was born. I see beauty in a cozy barn, the feeling I get when all is well and I'm able to unthaw after being outside with the horses. You can't appreciate the warmth unless you've been cold. I see beauty in my hands that have worked so hard and don't look pretty, but have the wisdom of sinking my fingers into the soil and seeing the life that grows from the earth. I am a blessed woman.
I breath... One of the most mindful things we can practice is our intention in breathing deeply. Giving ourselves that moment of clarity. I am here. I am alive and I get to choose how I will respond to everything.
I love being anonymous. I love leaving little gifts and donating anonymously.
I embrace this imperfect life. It's the embrace that is the key. Giving myself and everyone else this lovely gift of grace. It is so much more than anything money can buy.
Within one day, the return of the sun begins. That's right, one of the most incredibly wonderful parts of the winter solstice is that it's truly a turning of the earth. A shifting in the energy where our "tilt" allows for the planet to move us in the northern hemisphere so that we receive more day light from the sun. The shortest day of the year marks the end of that part of the earth within a shadow. We must know that it is our turn to share that darkness with the other hemisphere for a time. I don't mind it at all, knowing that our turn for longer days will return. This year, the winter solstice can only be made special by you... How do you plan on celebrating?
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