I was just thinking
that I have been missing you
way too long
I was just thinking
merely thinking …
Do you know that song? Those are the words that are rolling and bumping gently in my brain and thoughts just now — pebbles clacking gently against one another on the floor of a cool, clear stream. Reminds me of my mom. Of my youth. Of Christmases past. Home.
The scent of wet pine or spruce. Shortbread baking in the oven. The memory-laden aroma of turkey. Flashbulbs going off. Lights on a living tree with all the other lights dimmed. Mistletoe hanging at the front door. Paper being torn open. Laughter. Tears.
Before I leave you with these images and thoughts, here is an excerpt from the amazing (and highly recommended) children’s book, Bear and Wolf by Daniel Salmieri:
“Are you lost?” asked Bear.
“No, I’m not lost. Are you?” asked Wolf.
“No, I’m not lost. I’m out for a walk to feel the cold on my face, and to enjoy the quiet of the woods when it snows. What are you doing?”
“I’m out for a walk to feel the cold under my paws, and to listen to the crunching of the snow as I walk.”
“Do you want to walk with me?” asked Bear.
“Sure,” said Wolf.
It is with this brief excerpt that I bid you the most beautiful of Christmas seasons. May you slice through the surface differences and discover deep kinships with others. May we all expand our understandings of one another. May we walk through the wilderness of our lives and make beautiful connections with one another.
what a lovely set of photos
love Heidi with her new toy. Brady always gets one too.
love, love the first pic. the variety of tree with its downward branches is always a fav for me.
I am glad to find you posting again!
The music that is singing in my head is a hand bell rendition of ‘Masters in this Hall’…
I joined a chime/hand bell group last fall, after being asked (repeatedly) by a friend. This has been/is one of the harder (for me…hardest?) pieces we do. We did manage to keep it (mostly) together at our concert on Sunday! Since I went over, and over, and over this last week, and a bunch more times on Saturday…it still rings;-).
Have a blessed winter season!
–Jean Marie
(and if there is an earlier note from me, the computer whisked it away before I finished…feel free to delete the earlier one!)