Random Certainties

Having birthdays and saying goodbye to loved ones are conducive to reflective thoughts so here are a few of mine (with illustrations).  Yes, it's a long post, mostly pictures though...but it's my blog so I get to do what I want, right??

On saying goodbye...We never know when our last conversation with someone will be until we are looking back.  It does give us something to look forward to, though...an eternity of conversation, relationships, and I hope tea drinking.  Also reminds me that Time is a valuable commodity, so spend it on what is important.  Celebrating the life of my sweet aunt this past weekend brings it into sharp focus.

2009 visit

A few steps away from my aunt and uncle's grave...

Don't know if or when I will visit my parents' grave again.  But that's ok, they are not here anyway!

On birthdays...instead of buying or making birthday cards for my DH I have begun making a scrapbook page for him in honor of his day.  It just magnifies the enjoyment for both of us...I get the fun of creating something I know he will like, we get greater value from the money spent because we will both enjoy looking at it in future and not just for a moment, and since he likes to keep things, this already has an assigned place for storage--the scrapbook album.  This year's page was super easy because I found the perfect piece of patterned paper to use.

On friends...I miss you.  and not just the ones pictured here.

On the importance of laughter...keep doing it.  And it's always better with people you love...  And if you find the same things funny...

And finally...beauty is a gift to be found/created/shared...all around us, small or large.  If you recognize the significance of this photo beyond the beauty of flowers and table, it means I am thinking about you today.

Birthday Reflections

This may shape up to be one of the best birthdays ever.  I have a love/hate relationship with my birthday.  I love having them because it means I am still alive and breathing.  I hate them because I always get depressed.  Everything bad that I have ever believed about myself (most of them lies) haunts me on my birthday.  My allergies and migraines have always kicked in big time around my birthday, mostly due to the myriad of maple trees around us (which start to wake up in February).

All that is different this year.  Since we moved my allergies have improved drastically (few maple trees, no mold).  We came to Virginia for a visit to my brother and his wife.  They are one of God's most wonderful and special blessings in my life.  The days here are an incredible birthday gift from God (and them and my dearest, sweet and thoughtful hubby) and I am savouring every minute of it.  The weather is a major factor.  It is in the 50's and the daffodils are coming up.  In my mind, spring should always start to appear in February, not April or May!

At the end of this week we go to help celebrate the life and passage into Heaven of my dearest aunt.  The very last of my parents' generation to leave this life.  She was, to me, the epitome of one who is refined like gold.  The flame grew brighter in her as the years passed and this life dropped away from her.  I can hear her laughing, because she was ready to go.  That's how I want to be.  Yes, she had physical challenges in recent years, but she was able to retain who she was and continued being a light and a blessing to others right up to the end.

I have decided to keep my Joy Dare journal on paper.  I can't help it.  I need to have that piece of paper to write on and embellish.  And I have a lovely journal given to me by a dear friend.  Posterity will just have to read my journal, not my blog.