Dark Times...And Yet

Darkest time of the year...and yet, there is still beauty. There is still joy. There is still something wonderful coming.

And if we have lost this sense of awe and purpose, then we shall have to go out and find it again.

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Hopscotch - Lessons Learned

Taught the neighborhood kids how to play hopscotch - of course they caught on right away!

We didnt get as far as how to throw your small stone onto a particular number. They just followed me on the 1, 2-3, 4, 5-6, 7, 8-9 10 with great glee. I left them streaming across the colored chalk grid.

They were so enchanted I didnt have the heart to explain to them they were "supposed" to turn around and go backwards also and they "should" use small stones.

We all won this game.

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photo by lincolnblues

Emergency Backup Organist: Teaching Children about Joy

Lost in joy at a Christmas concert with daughter-west, thinking of other Christmas music events over the decades and how they have also brought me such happiness.

Singing in church with my mother, father, grandma Mc, and siblings as a child.

Playing flute and piccolo for the Vienna VA church concerts for many years.

Caroling around the neighborhood - need to organize this again this year.

Strolling through the international carols book and learning new songs, singing at my piano-east.

Performing at Bailey Hall, Ithaca for an appreciative crowd in the snowy weather.

Listening to O Holy Night on the radio and crying because we are so far from peace on earth.

And, from the title, being the emergency backup organist in Virginia, especially Christmas Eve when there are so many services that the regular organist cannot play them all.

I always volunteered to take the Children's Service early on Christmas Eve. The children's choir kids were surprised to learn that I would let them play a few notes, in contrast to when I was a child -- maybe ten years old -- and harshly scolded for wanting to play the church organ, despite being a music prodigy. I always let the children hear how their actions make beautiful music. And they laughed so much when I showed them I played barefoot. Real grownups don't go barefoot! But it is the easiest way to feel where the pedals are, to follow them along the edge of my feet. So now you know my secret with both music and children: Share the joy.

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Joy to the World!

Make it happen.

O Holy Night

crossposted at firedoglake 24 december 2007

Wishing you all the most precious gifts, the ones no money can buy:

Joy

Community

Inner peace

Courage

Hope

A word about hope:

The word *yet*

“I can’t do that” becomes “I can’t do that…yet”

“We don’t have the answers” turns into “We don’t have the answers…yet”

Whatever your tradition, you can tap into the message of hope for the future. Believe in something better, and take the first tiny steps in that direction. Astonishing things can happen.

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Josh Groban singing at the tree lighting ceremony, Rockfeller Center, 4 December 2002

Firedoglake: Pull Up A Chair

crossposted 8 december 2007 at firedoglake

It's a Surprise!

Staring at the open box of 750 jigsaw pieces, each individually wrapped in a piece of toilet paper and scotch tape, I knew I'd been had---but good---by my six younger siblings.

They were hoping I would take the time to unwrap each piece, but instead I saved this creative treasure intact and it was re-gifted several times on other holidays. I like to think it's still out there somewhere, causing outrageous laughter for some hapless recipient.

Speaking of surprises, many years later when young egrDaughter was old enough to understand the idea of presents, she was all excited and helpful when taking a wrapped package over to my brother: "It's a camera! It's a surprise!"

Sometimes you even get the good stuff on video. Younger egrDaughter opened up the package with her Barbie house, containing all the little plastic stuff doomed to be broken or lost within 48 hours, and shouted "Now I know there's a Santa Claus, 'cause you said you would NEVER get this for me!"

You know, I love Dave Barry's wacky presents but he isn't the only one who can make us laugh at funny gifts or stories. I want to hear from you all about holidays past or present when you found yourself laughing aloud at something silly.

We've worked hard this week, it's time for some fun. So put the politics aside for a little while, pass the scotch tape please, and pull up a chair....

This mesmerizing photo from MarkyBon, flickr creative commons

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Firedoglake: Pull Up A Chair

crossposted at firedoglake 1 december 2007 on the new site



Ready for a vacation yet? I thought the hammock looked pretty inviting. Or as a friend says, ready to run screaming out the door?

The crazy season is upon us, the pressure to have a perfect holiday. And sometimes the suggested solutions are worse than the original problem. Now instead of buying something we have to make something [which if you've seen my arts and craft skills is SO not happening].

I typically race thru my holiday card list to hurry and get it done. Am wondering if this is quite the point. Might it be possible to send out fewer cards, and spend a moment to think about these people? Nah, back to work.

One of my friends said holiday preparation makes her so frazzled she dreams of attending someone else's celebration: "I'd like to just show up."

So I'm thinking of a little experiment this year---

Firedoglake: Pull Up A Chair

crossposted at firedoglake 20 october 2007

Hooray for Saturday! When we were little kids that was the greatest day of the week. Time to run around barefoot, ride bikes, play ball, do whatever we wanted.

Saturday, or Sunday for my friends who went to temple, was just the most glorious day. We could sleep in, linger over breakfast, ignore homework, and head outside for a long day of happiness.

My best friend Sarah and I would spend endless hours exploring our neighborhood creek with all its treasures. She was always picking up a beautiful rock and telling me all kinds of things about it.

It might not surprise you to learn that she went on to study geology, and now works in a national park teaching kids how great nature is. For her 50th birthday she asked her husband to take her to see where the monarch butterflies winter over in Mexico, how cool is that? We live hundreds of miles away but have kept in touch over the decades.

So I got to thinking how fun it would be to ask you guys about your best friend when you were little. Who was your friend and what did you love to do?

Big shoutout to Christy, we know you're peeking! Have a great vacation and see you back soon.

Now I want to hear all about you and your friends and the joy of Saturday. I especially want to hear from you readers who have yet to make a comment. Come on in and pull up a chair...

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Happy to Get a Water Bill

I may be the only person in the nation to be overjoyed to get a water bill in the mail today. Well ok there is a reason. It's the first piece of mail forwarded from my new place to the old, which is how I am structuring things during the transition. Very interesting to feel that I live in two places at once.

But not a new feeling. At the height of my Russian work I was there 12% of the time. People used to ask my children "Does your mother LIVE there?" So instead of living in both hemispheres, I'll be on both coasts for a while. What an adventure!

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