Friday, December 26, 2008

New Beginnings

Hello www, Happy New Year! God is smiling on all of us and wanting only our good: this year and always. Please keep this in mind when you hit bumps in this journey we call life. There's a Spanish saying, "No hay un mal que bien no venga." Roughly translated: there isn't a bad thing that happens that good doesn't come from it. The passing of time, the passing of yet another year. Time is such a strange concept. The other day as I walking my dog in the park I was just about to scold him for smelling yet another blade of grass when I asked myself, "What is my hurry? What do I need to do today? Let him sniff away." What also helped Toby's cause was the fact that it was warm and the wind was blowing kindly. The moral of this short story is: take your time. You have it to spare.

Change is here, whether we like it or not, whether we voted for the person or not. I'm talking of course about the "changing of the guard," Bush out, Obama in, that will happen on Jan. 20th. I continue to pray, as always, for whomever is holding the keys to the Best, and Most Dangerous country in the Free World.

Let me back up here a moment, though, and tell you about how my NYE was spent.

I know I told some of you that I was going to a party with some old college buds and my brother, but I really wasn't planning to do that, since my brother was supposed to be working until midnight.

It's true there was a party, and yes, I did know some of the people at the party from college, but I did not know the actual people hosting the party. I didn't feel comfortable just showing up, especially without my brother, who knew pretty much everyone who was going to be there, including the hosts.

I decided I would treat myself to one of my few 'NYE parties at home.' I went to mass with my mom, and when we returned we had some more of my delish ham (I'm resolving to cook more in '09) for dinner.

After dinner I changed into some flannel jammies (sexy!), my slippers, made some hot chocolate, let my dogs in, turned on the Christmas tree lights and slid in the DVD of 'Pride and Prejudice.' Oh, and I lit some Yankee Candles, cinnamon. I was debating whether I would watch the ball drop.

I was about 2/3 of my way through Pride and Prejudice, enjoying every moment of it, when I got my brother's call.

This was about 10:30p. My brother was able to leave work early and wanted me to join him at the aforementioned party - lots of like-minded liberals there - but also my friends from college, in addition to new people I would meet...

...In ten minutes I was changed and ready to shake my money maker.

It was a blast. I'm glad my brother insisted on me going. We stayed up until 3:30 this morning, talking, dancing, laughing; it was great.

The hosts were gracious, welcoming, and fun.

In the backyard was a homemade pit, for lack of a better word, that was elevated, and we put log after log onto it. The sparks from the fire matched the sparks flying from our happiness at being together. At one point in the evening fireworks light up the calm, dark sky.

I don't know if you do this also dear reader, but I like to think of how I spend my NYE as an indicator of how the NY will go.

SO, when I'm comfortable and happy where I am (I was perfectly okay with staying home and chillin' like a villain), but Life pulls me out of my comfort zone and puts me into something more rewarding, like being with old friends, then bring it '09!

Happy New Year my friends! Cheers!

Gahd bless us all, always.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Isn't it romantic???

Hello www, Heavenly Father bless all eyes reading this blog. May they know and feel your presence, Always. A Special Christmas prayer for everyone. Romance has returned to my life, again - I had released Him years ago, along with memories of my first love, recollections of self-conscious half attempts at affection, sweetly pecked kisses, holding some one's hand tightly, "acting cool," delusional infatuation, and awkward college dates - and I'm happy He's here, and has insisted on me 'giving Him another try.' I am much more savvy (at least I think I am) this time as I curtsy graciously to my idea of his gorgeous body pulling me in close for a... wait for it...*wink* and a sly grin. This time I want to honor Romance as he should be honored: in my heart, mind and soul. This time I will use my latent power to focus and maintain Him in my life. I realize now how important Romance is to Life. How and dull and uninteresting life is without romance... Before I go any further, though, I'd better clarify my definition of romance; let's see what Webster says... Hmm, surprisingly the definition that fits my thoughts best isn't romance at all, but romanticism: which means an exciting and mysterious quality (as of a heroic time or adventure). What started all this talk of romance anyway? Well...recently (blushing) I was asked to read a silly book meant for teenagers, high schoolers really, about, of all things, vampires. Vampires! I prefer Werewolves. (As some of you may or may not know, I am a dog lover and wolves are their cousins, so there's the fit.) Anyway, as the silk words of the book (the first of four) wrapped themselves around me, and the sweet and terrible tale of the strange pair of lovers washed over me, Romanticism cryptically showed itself at my heart's door, and has continued to be my shadow, as I soon realized when I found the DVD "Becoming Jane." I'd been looking for the DVD ever since the movie came out and at long last I found it, and cheap too!, at Target.

I put the DVD in the player, and relaxed on the couch as the rocky romance between Jane and Tom unfolded. Their story too is tainted and sad, but hopeful at the same time: it has a wistful 'did the right thing' feel to it that cleanses the palate of any malice one might feel for the two destitute lovers. On this lucky trip to Target (more of Romanticism's work?) I was also fortunate enough to find, "A River Runs through it," "Must Love Dogs," and "Pride and Prejudice." Beginning to see a pattern?

It was then that I begin to grasp, yet again, how everything leads back to God, to Jesus. Because ultimately who is our greatest lover? Who is the one being that knows what we need, not what we want, what we need, and gives it to us when we need it?

Thoughts of Jesus lead to thoughts of Christmas; one of the most (next to New Year's) romantic holidays ever. Yes, even over VD (Valentine's Day). During Christmas we think of others, we rest from work, we catch up with old friends; we do all the things that are really important in life. We act like lovers toward each other. We become a people infatuated. It's fantastic. It's exhilarating. And it's because of Jesus' birth.

No matter how many years I have been blessed to spend Christmas with my mom and brother (and, God willing, to spend many more) I am still excited about Christmas day. We may do the same things every year, our traditions, like everyone has, but I am nonetheless eager for Christmas day to arrive. Jesus is born to us all over again.

This year, though, when Christmas time is over, and we go back to 'being real,' and not so happy, or in love with our lives, I am going to do my best to keep Romanticism animated. Romanticism takes work to keep it thriving, and I'm up for the challenge. It is easy to imagine every day events as romantic (*see example below), fun even, to conceive that all around us there is only love. Yes, it is going to be a trial to remind myself that love is all around me, constantly, and even when things aren't going as planned, the love is still there, as God has meant it to be.

I left work the other day and as I was walking to my car, I heard someone rockin' out on the drums. The musician was obviously 'in the zone' of the harmony, the drum beat was highly rhythmical and passionate. I added to the image: some stunning man/woman listening also and watching their lover jam out, taking pleasure in the huge smile on their lover's face, enjoying the melodious sound. Yes, Romanticism is entertaining. Romanticism is an adventure.

Songs I listened to while writing this blog: all from Sting

Shape of my heart; It's Probably me; Consider me gone (Romanticism has a downside too!); Brand new day (go optimistic again); straight to my heart; love is the seventh wave.

Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhd bless us all! Merry Christmas you romantics!


Followers

Blog Archive

Powered By Blogger