I am sitting in the floor of the guest room at my parents house in Virginia … grateful for the huge picture window to which I wake up each morning I’m here. The naked azaleas shudder in the frigid wind and the mountains stretch still bigger to soak up every drop of warmth from the morning sun.
It has been a tough week for many of us. We see and hear, and feel the pain of the world deep within our soul. We do what we can to feed love to the world, and then wipe our face when pain and heartbreak spew back just when we least expect it.
My mother played a song on the computer for me this morning … one that brought tears the last time she heard it. I played a song for her, too. It brought tears yesterday, when I heard it for the first time, and every time since then. Mom couldn’t make out the accent in the lyrics. I haven’t studied the lyrics, and don’t know all of the words, but do know that they send an arrow straight to my heart.
Life brings to us the full array of joy and grief, love and loss, fear and hearts wide-open.
Many of us soak up the pain of the world in the same way the mountains soak up the sunshine. Some of us are just wired that way. So we have a choice about what to do with that pain … with what life brings to our journey.
And so we make our way through the dark of night by the light of the sparkling stars and the moon’s gentle glow. Our lives unfold as we embrace the losses and at the same time, release the fear and pain they bring, so that we might live with courage, hope, and strength.
Today I am holding precious memories of my best friend from childhood. Her name was Lesa, and when snowflakes fell at night, we knew that we would go for a walk, in our hats and scarves and matching boots … in the quiet of snowfall, watching the flakes light up the glow of the streetlamps as they fell. And we’d talk, the way young girls do … it’s what we always did.
She has been gone for 10 years now. And I miss her every day. She visits, in my dreams sometimes, and for that I am forever grateful ~
So here’s a link to the song … A Snowflake Fell (and it Felt Like a Kiss) ... and it did …
The prayers from the graveyard keep mumblin’ death
Too much time hobbles lost in hurt
Now I’m compelled to care about my future going nowhereI just stand here all alone in the cold wonderin’ where I’m going to-day
Then a snowflake fell and it felt like a kiss now I’m okayThe ringin’ from the bells keep screamin’ out love
As snow fell from heavens above
Directionless no more
Emptiness no moreNow I don’t feel so all alone in the cold wonderin’ where I’m going to-day
For a snowflake fell and it felt like a kiss now I’m okayNow I don’t feel so all alone in the cold wonderin’ where I’m going to-day
For a snowflake fell and it felt like a kiss now I’m okayFor a snowflake fell and it felt like a kiss now I’m okay
Know that I’m sending prayers that you can release the pain and fear this journey brings … that you will embrace each lesson, and all those who have crossed your path. Prayers that you will find strength, courage, and hope, bigger than you’d ever imagined possible.
With love,
** Interestingly, I just hopped over to Facebook to share this post and remembered that I first heard this song via @Rebelthriver on Facebook. Here is her lovely website … please do check out her website. It’s full of courage … thus rebelthriver 🙂 So glad she’s crossed my path.
Thanks to Brooke for the photo … delightfully pink and sparkly that I’ve used it twice!