I WILL ALWAYS DANCE IN THE KITCHEN

I'm a kitchen dancer with kids, with grandchildren, with my husband.  
When the happiness gets to be too much and there is a good song, then one has to dance.
And the kitchen is where joy is.
Was thinking about how I have never felt any age for long. Changes by the hour.
My parents never did notice their are and died surprised that they were mortal.
Anyway, I wrote the following reflection:



KITCHEN DANCER

I am known for a kind of joy I carry
Nothing makes me happier than a rule well broken
Just a little naughtiness makes my day
And so I don't act my age
Mainly because I don't know it
But I've decided to let myself get older
More deep peace
More forgiveness
More letting go of achievement
More noodling on the miracles
But I will always dance in the kitchen
And break a rule that needs it

THOUGHTS ON THE EVE OF TRAVEL

In the midst of packing for Mexico, my college friend sent this message as she packed for vacation.  Sums it all up.  Where's my passport anyway?

"tonight's intermission prompt: your term, ambivalence. 

the ambivalence of travel.

on one hand, the ease of being at home.

home requires no serious effort.

home is the luxury and sloth of familiarity.  

home accommodates individuality, inconsistency.

home is laissez faire and carte blanche.

home is autonomy, solely what i choose to do or not do. 

home is a bottomless suitcase.

travel is exactly the opposite. 

travel's draw is the greener grass on the other side of the fence:

stretching oneself,

extending oneself,

intentionally uprooting oneself,

down-sizing things in order to expand perspective and

experience,

exercising flexibility,

stimulating awareness,

choosing to disrupt habits, uproot and transplant self to provoke dynamism. 

ambivalence: the state of contradictory feelings.

the perfect term to describe the duality and paradox of human nature."

AT LAST, CHRISTMAS!!

Last week, I think I wrote on Facebook (one never knows) that "Now that Christmas is over, I'm ready for it!"

I wrote the following reflection on the 23rd of December (from I PRAY ANYWAY)

I have undone holiday tasks
Like a Santa bag of burden
I like to give, love to give
But the clock ticks
I am full of love not given on time
Cards not sent, words not spoken
Hurrying to give, give, give—
Whoa Nelly
Stop and receive
Pause for gratitude—
There
Time opens up
Now, continue
Stay expanded

Nice message. But low on the list I was checking twice.
So last night Christmas came to me
A blown set of lights on the tree was driving me nuts.
So I turned the darn tree around.
Getting close I smelled the pine and hugged the tree to turn it.
I knew what I had to do.
I turned off all the lights, put down all the books, and sat.
David in bed. Quiet house. 
Contentment bloomed. (That IS what it felt like)
I went up to bed at 3 am.
Had my Christmas.

You may get a Valentine's Day card from me. That's my fall back plan.
GOOD YEAR TO YOU ALL.