Calendar Wisdom

Quote from my calendar today: "To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, you have to stand in the cold."

A Pleasant Day in the Middle of the Holiday Busy-ness

The holiday season is in full swing...parties to host and to attend, family and friends from out of town in and out of town over the next couple of weeks - it's logistically challenging at times. I try to be mindful during this holiday season, accompanied by the time demands of "extras" to take at least a few minutes each day to be - just being present to the quietness of walking in the neighborhood and admiring the wonderful lights and decorations, listening to Christmas music, turning out all of the lights and letting the small white lights (my preference!) reflect in the living room and create a warm coziness, or lighting a cranberry scented candle and sipping a cup of tea. A few moments to be and to reflect on the special people and experiences in my life that have brought me to where I am. I do tend to get a bit reflective during the holiday season, as there are several "self-reflective" occasions that occur close together - Christmas, my birthday, and New Years, all of which offer milestones to look back, as well as to look forward.

And, then, a day just "happens," as it did today, where things that need to get done, are able to be completed, more than planned, even. What a quiet feeling of accomplishment - 4 reports completed, a grant application completed and submitted, and one of my dear friends accepted a position as a VP at a hospital - in a field in which she has excelled for 20+ years - a job she was born to do! She and her husband will be relocating several hundred miles away, and I will miss her terribly, but she is a lifetime friend, and I know we will stay connected. And, an unexpected "gift" - unspent year-end funding that was given to my site to host a training session that my staff wanted very much!

Happiness.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving always reminds me of my grandmother. Growing up, and well into my adulthood, my grandmother's house was the center of Thanksgiving for me. I loved arriving early in the day at her house, and helping her with the final preparations of the meal, transporting all of the food from the kitchen to the dining room buffet, and helping her serve. I love the warmth of her home, the mouth- watering smells of turkey, dressing, and pies baking. She was always sure to make my siblings' and my favorite foods - "southern" green beans, squash, sweet potato souffle with marshmallows, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, dressing [always two trays - one with sage, and one without - for my Mom], and turkey. I know that my grandmother preferred ham over turkey, but by far, my preference is turkey. Some years she prepared both a ham AND a turkey, but she always made a turkey. When my siblings and I were younger, it was always a big deal to be the first to rush in her door and "call" whose turn it would be to pull the turkey wishbone that year. The one who pulled the short end got to put it over the kitchen door sill for good luck for the day, and the long one got to make a wish. She always roasted a huge turkey, so that there were plenty of leftovers for us to take home. I fondly remember looking forward to her leftover dressing for several days; I remember even eating it for breakfast! I miss my grandmother, but around the holidays, especially, I feel connected to her.

It's been a busy Thanksgiving Week here. Family and friends visiting for Thanksgiving, fun preparing the meal and festivities, late night "catch up" conversations, piano playing, movie watching, frisbee and football in the neighborhood park (good exercise after a delicious FEAST). None of us braved the 5 am shopping craziness this morning; instead, it was a relaxing morning..no schedule of activities. Relaxed cups of coffee and green tea with conversation and watching the squirrels in the yard scavenge for acorns from the oak trees. In the midst of difficult national times, and friends' personal struggles, this small envelope of being in a cozy home, preparing a meal to share with family and friends, is a nice mindful meditation on what's important in life. [It reminds me of the warm feelings of spending most of my Thanksgivings at my grandmother's home.] I am always very aware, probably more than most, of the tenuous that accompanies us all in life. It was nice to enjoy the gift of being with each other enjoying one another's company, sharing a meal, and reflecting on all we have for which to be grateful. I also found my thoughts going towards all of those involved in the tragic events in Mumbai the past few days, a friend's family struggle with a family crisis, and concern over a couple of family members' health issues. I guess mindfulness means being aware of both those things and people for which I have gratitude, as well as awareness of the "shadow" side of life. Sometimes I think the "shadow" events make us appreciate the gifts we do have in each of our lives.

Wisdom from my calendar today: "Be a lamp, a ladder, or a lifeboat." - Rumi