The Silver Lining

Halloween conjures visions of jack-o-lanterns, costumes, and candy!  Children’s voices chiming “TRICK OR TREAT!” never fails to make me smile! Mom or dad would bring home a big orange pumpkin and we’d decide if we wanted a smiling face or a scary one – usually I wanted a smile.  I remember spreading newspapers out on the front steps so we wouldn’t make a mess, then daddy would start carving the face in the pumpkin with a big knife.  Mama would affix a candle to an old mayonnaise jar lid so it would stand level inside the jack-o-lantern.  I loved lighting the candle to bring our jack-o-lantern to life – and the smell of the candle scorching the inside of the pumpkin still makes the magic of the season seem real. I am fairly certain that my first Halloween costume was a ghost.  I recall my mom tossing a big white sheet over my head, then letting it settle around my feet.  She cautioned me to stand still while she took a crayon and marked where to cut the...

How like the autumn is my life. Throughout the hot sultry days of summer, the trees worked tireless providing shade, offering shelter, converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. Now refreshing cool breezes kiss the trees and they relax. They trade their green uniforms for garments of scarlet, gold, burgundy, and orange. Perhaps they feel more comfortable wearing their true colors. One by one, the leaves relax, retire, and flutter away like snowflakes in a swirl of delight. The air feels less oppressive, the sunlight feels less harsh. The time, though shorter and fleeting, feels gentler. How like the autumn is my life.

Kite was excited, ready to fly.  The wind was just right, a brisk and steady breeze in the warm air.  Kite checked his ribs, they were strong and sturdy.  His covering was tight and ready to catch the air to give him just the right lift.  And he was particularly proud of his beautiful tail, made of colorful bits of fabric tied in bright bows to add some stability in the wind and assure that Kite could be seen even when he was waaaay high up in the air. “C’mon, String!  Shake a leg, let’s go flying!” String was plain, sturdy, no nonsense, strong.  She cautioned Kite – “Let’s be sure we’re tied together tightly.”  Kite rolled his eyes, String could be such a drag sometimes, always wanting to be cautious and careful.  But he allowed String time to get herself connected and tightly secure. After a running start, Kite felt himself being lifted with the wind.  He was FLYING!  String was quietly doing her job, extending herself int...

This morning at church, a friend said to me, “Every time I see you, you have a smile on your face!”  My immediate response was, “Well, I live in Paradise, so why not smile?”  And while that is the truth, it really goes much deeper than that.  I smile because I’m happy with life. But this happiness is more than a physical state of being – it’s also a mental and emotional place.  I’ve long believed that happiness is a choice; one can choose to view things from an optimistic or pessimistic point of view.  I believe my natural view is that of optimism. Years of stress eroded that natural state. Worrying about things I could not control robbed me of the ability to “see the bright side” for a long while.  It was like I walked around inside a shroud woven from fretful thoughts and worries.  And while I could shake of some of it, unwrap the shroud a bit – it’s only been lately that I’ve been able to drop it completely. How did that happ...

Today was an unusually warm day for mid-January. Taking advantage of this rare event, we unhitched the pontoon and eased it out into the cove.  A light breeze over the cool water made the ride a bit chilly; I wrapped up in a beach towel as we headed out to the “big water.” Wispy clouds streaked across the skies.  Here and there, folks spent the day cleaning yards and raking leaves.  Smoke curled up from brush fires, caught the breeze, and began lying low over the water.  The water was dotted with flocks of seagulls – I suppose they were on vacation at the lake.  Steering the boat directly into the birds, we watched as the birds ascended into flight as we got near them.  Hundreds of gulls were wheeling and gliding above us, or floating in the water directly in front and behind us.  We continued our journey across the lake.  Nearing the shore, we saw a lone bird soaring above the pine trees.  His white head and tail gleamed li...

Resolutions Everybody talks about making New Year’s Resolutions.  We all want to lose 10 pounds, or try to correct some personality trait we are struggling with, or we want to let go of some issue that is draped around our neck like an albatross. Sometimes we actually KEEP a resolution for more than a week or so.  And some folks resolve to NOT MAKE any resolutions!! Last year, for Christmas my husband gave me a copy of Rosie Molinary’s book “Beautiful You – A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance.” (Check it out at http://rosiemolinary.com/beautiful-you/)   I’ve long wrestled with issues of self-esteem and self-worth; this little book has the reader focus more on self-awareness and creativity to help shore up self-confidence.  I followed it diligently for about two months.  Then life stepped in; our lives took a shift as we took on a care-giving role for David’s mom.  In the rush and re-structuring of our routines, my resolve crum...

Early morning – well, at least it is after midnight. I get up, pull on a jacket, scuff my feet into slippers. I make a cup of tea. The steam tickles my face as I take the first sip. Gazing out the back door, I am entranced by the serenity of the lake in the moonlight. I turn the key gently until the quiet click lets me know that I can open the door, and I step outside into the peacefulness. I shiver in the chilly night air. I pull my jacket tighter around my body, crisscrossing it over me in a hug. I realize I’m grateful to feel the coolness, I’m grateful to feel the warmth and security of my jacket, I’m grateful to feel. A car slows, I hear a gentle slap as the newspaper hits the pavement. I look at the clock, it’s 3:35. Right on time. I walk out in the darkness, barely able to see the packet lying on the driveway. Picking it up, I go back to the deck. I place the paper on the table; I’ll read it, later. Every porch needs a rocking chair. I settle ...