I am alive!!

In the words of the great philosopher of the 1960s, one Jerome Garcia, "What a long strange trip it's been........." especially this month. I've had some of the scariest moments of my life so far, been plagued by self-doubt more often than not, and in some moments just barely hanging in.

But life is beautiful and wonderful, and there is still so much ahead to enjoy and love. If nothing else, this month has been a lesson .... no, wait, more of a crash course .... in gratitude, in trust, in miracles, in love. And for those lessons and for the kindnesses shown to me, my heart is overflowing. It is a true delight to be able to take even a few moments and to realized just how blessed you are and how wonderful your life is.

Fill in the Blank Friday, 1/27/12

1. My favorite place i've ever traveled to is wow.... hmmm.... gosh.... Okay, I haven't traveled all that much either, but it's a tie between West Virginia and Colorado -- both have awesome mountains .

2. Italy is somewhere I'd love to go someday.

3. I pass the time on a plane (or bus, or car ride or train) by plane - trying to just sleep; car - I'd better be driving (otherwise, "pull over! pull over!") .

4. My three must-haves when I travel are an MP3 player of some sort , healthy snacks and probably my cell

5. My favorite travel companion is it all depends. Where am I going? What's the agenda or plan? That will drive that answer .

6. The craziest thing that ever happened to me while traveling is plane: having my flight to ATL land 5 minutes before my connecting flight was supposed to start boarding. Usually Delta is WAY better than that! Car: my adventure in West Virginia. I had typed the wrong end location into the GPS and I was about 20 miles west of where I needed to be, about 8:00 at night. The guys at the DOT shed looked at me as if I was a crazy woman (this was winter) ... but I went back over the mountain. The next morning, I drove back over in daylight -- packed with snow!

7. The most exotic food I've ever tried while traveling is does unsweetened tea (in Colorado) count???? For this Southern girl, that is exotic!!! .

A Poem in the Christmas Season

These are the waning days of the Christmas season, the near fortnight from December 25 until January 6.

I do my best not to follow a philosophy which extends the "Christmas season" from November 1 until 11:59 on December 24, when the last gift might be purchased .... and which discards Christmas like a soiled diaper as soon as the clock shows 12:00:00 on December 26. No, my heart would much rather follow something that reminds us that Christmas is more than one mere day but an outlook for all year, for all life. I also don't get all huffy when people say "Happy Holidays" because I'm smart enough to realize that Christmas is one winter celebration among many. All of them speak to the light coming in the darkness and getting stronger and brighter even in the darkest coldest moments.

This poem was given to me last year by a dear friend, and it resonated with me ..... and I share it with you in the last days of this season of celebration of light and life and love. It is from a Christian viewpoint, but I think any faith or philosophy can appreciate the sentiment contained therein.

I will seek no longer for the burning bush;
All bushes are ablaze.
And I will not hasten to depart
From daily grief and gladness
To climb a holy mountain;
Every mountain now is sacred,
Each marketplace, and every home,
All, all are blessed
Since God has pitched a tent among us.

Now on earth are to be found
The footprints of the word made flesh
Who walked with us in wind and rain
And under sun and stars,
In joy and sorrow,
Born of Mary, watched over by Joseph,
Eating and drinking, living and loving.

Dying yet living, the Word is made flesh
And all the earth,
And each of us,
Is holy ground
Where we must slip our sandals off
And walk softly, filled with wonder.

-- author unknown

May blessings fall on us all, as we tread this ancient ground made new and holy, as brothers and sisters. May the new year bring us new opportunities to be the people we have been created and called to be. May we become living embodiments of the love, light and life that we celebrate during this season.