Shine On

The sun porch seemed the ideal place to sit and read last evening.  The cool breezes, the rocking chair, the night sounds all seemed to beckon me.  As the daylight dwindled, I closed my book and just rocked.  All of a sudden, I could see little flashes of light darting around the backyard - fireflies!  It'd been a year since I'd seen fireflies from that same vantage point.  So, I just sat and rocked as the darkness enveloped me and I watched the little creatures letting their lights shine.  It made me think of the children from our church who sang "This Little Light of Mine" a few months ago.  Even when all is dark (and especially so), it's important to let our own lights shine.  The light that we may think is but a tiny flicker may be the illumination that is needed by another.  By letting our lights shine, we express our true selves, providing a gift to others just as the fireflies provided me last night.

A Walk in the Woods

My husband Larry and I celebrated July 4th morning this year by taking a walk at one of our favorite places, Steinke Basin, which is a lesser traveled part of Devil's Lake State Park.  It was one of those perfect summer days that you just wish you could package up and open again and again when the weather's fowl.  This particular day, the sun's rays were warm, but the breeze was cool.  You could walk uphill at a brisk pace in the shade of the many trees and feel as if you were being fanned as you went along.  We normally reward ourselves at the top of the bluff with a brief sit on a strategically placed bench, but alas, on that day, a family had beaten us to it.  So, we turned around and retreated back down the hill, listening to the birdsong, watching the flutter of butterflies in our path, and feeling the heavenly cool breezes fan away the perspiration.  That walk in the woods was a quiet, delightful way to start our holiday.

Dodging the Raindrops

We had so much rain last month that it was hard to schedule my evening walks without carrying or wearing my rain jacket.  What I discovered is that I like walking in the rain.  There is something peaceful about having the rain gently falling around and on you.  I saw my friend Sharon out for a walk recently as I was driving down the street.  I stopped the car and rolled down the window for a brief chat and while doing so, it started to drizzle.  I enjoy Sharon so much, but at that moment, I realized we were kindred spirits.  Like me, she doesn't let the rain interfere with her walks.  Last Friday evening, I decided to venture out for my evening walk after a heavy downpour.  It didn't rain on me, save for the drops that fell on my head and glasses from the dripping treetops.  The birds sang louder and the fresh scents seemed sweeter.  No one else was out and about, just the birds and me, singin' after the rain.

Fire in the Sky

Today is the 4th of July.  In addition to the patriotic significance, I associate this all-American holiday with gatherings of family and friends for barbecues, picnics and swimming, and with watching fireworks splashing against the night sky.  I've seen some pretty amazing fireworks displays in my life, including in my youth on a class trip to Europe and several years of magnificent pyrotechnics associated with The Great Circus Parade in Milwaukee.  Our community and those in the surrounding area all have elaborate fireworks displays that attract families.  Lately in preparation for the big holiday, fireworks vendors have been out selling their wares.  Night after night, I've been hearing pop after pop after pop that indicate that for some, the 4th of July has started early.  As I ooh and ahh with our neighbors at the community fireworks this evening, I'll also say a prayer for all of the heroes who have protected and continue to protect our country.  Happy 4th of July, everyone, and God bless us all.

Living Inside Me

I read an interesting quote attributed to Grammy award-winning singer Lisa Fischer in the June 30, 2013 edition of Parade:  "One constant: I know who's living inside me.  I like her."  How many of us really know who is living inside us and like that person?  How many of us allow ourselves to be that person living inside of us without feeling compelled to be what others want us to be?  What is the price of being our true, genuine selves (or not)?  I've read that as we grow older, we become happier with life and content with ourselves.  Yet, I see article after article about how to cope with stress and how to find happiness.  As my husband Larry said, happiness is not about the destination, but about the journey.  It's how we frame our life's circumstances to see the blessings and the sacred moments, and how much we're willing to be our true, genuine selves, so that like Lisa Fischer, we can be assured that we know and like the person living inside us.

Cukes and Cabbage

Every magazine I read lately features at least one mouth-watering summer salad recipe.  I made one of my favorites -- a combination of cabbage, cucumbers and light dressing -- thanks to the latest items for sale at our local farmer's market.  Despite the rain, rain and more rain we've been having of late, the vendors have had a handsome array of kale, radishes, sugar snap peas, green beans, red potatoes, heads of cabbage, cucumbers and more.  With a little more sunshine and mild temperatures, we'll start to see an even greater array of produce.  Then, I can dig out all of those summer salad recipes I've been clipping and we'll enjoy feast after fine feast of locally grown, nutritious food while the growing season lasts.

Laughing. Singing. Dancing.

My late mom had a little pillow on which was embroidered "Live well, laugh often, love much."  Mom lived by those words.  She had a wonderful, purposeful life.  She filled each day with love and laughter.  She was always the first to enjoy a good joke and even had the grace to know how to laugh at herself.  Our friend Bill noted recently that his late mother-in-law would have recommended that family and friends enjoy some LSD.  As those around him gasped, Bill chuckled and explained that LSD stood for "Laughter, Singing and Dancing."  So that's just what we did that evening as we celebrated Bill's birthday.  There was much laughter in the room, especially when we all gathered into a conga line and moved about to the Latin musical beat.  I told my husband Larry that I felt more alive that evening than I had in months.  It was great to just cut loose and dance without self-consciousness, laugh joyfully with long-time friends, and sing along with the live music.  As Bill said, we all need a little LSD in our lives so that will be my aim.  At the end of each day, I want to be able to reflect back on how well I lived, how often I laughed and how much I loved.