Five Wonder-filled Moments Today...

1. I woke up in my right mind. I stayed in bed, comfy and cozy until nearly 9 am. I had dreamt that heavy rain had broken our house off its foundation.  The kids and I floated down our street on the second floor balcony of our home (we don't have any balconies on our second floor), pointing out our neighbors' houses as we floated past (ours is one of the last houses on the street). In the dream, I wondered how long it would be before the electricity would be restored because I didn't want all the food in the freezer to go bad.

Having dreamt all that, I was grateful to awaken to a house that was intact and still planted firmly in the earth with a refrigerator and freezer connected to a steady stream of electricity. It was raining hard when I woke up - which is probably what prompted the dream.  Oh, the wonder and joy of feeling safe at home.

I love, love, love my bedroom.

2. Kristiana and I went to the library together. We waited (impatiently) for a car to back out of a space so that we could pull in. Turns out the driver of that car was one of our favorite fitness instructors, Andre Hairston. By the time we got out of the minivan and made our way across the driveway of the library, he had driven around the other side of the parking lot and was driving past us. He stopped, we chatted briefly, and wished one another a belated Merry Christmas. I can't wait to do some Cardio Funk with him on Saturday morning.

3. Once in the library, I pulled a book on acrylic painting off the shelf, flipped through it, and found a $1 bill along with a card that said: "Random Act of Kindness. Please enjoy." I used it to pay my library fine for overdue books - which was exactly $1. In addition to that, we ran into the director of music at a church we used to attend. It was great to see him. He had quite the pile of books - I bet he has a nice break coming after all the work he undoubtedly had to do to prepare for all the Christmas events at church.

4. Kristiana and I went to the movies, but not together. She saw, "My Week with Marilyn." I saw, "The Way" for the second time. Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez on El Camino de Santiago, the Way of St. James, from France to Santiago de Compostela, one of my favorite cities in Spain. Being on the way. Alone and with loved ones. A journey towards a city and towards oneself. Recognizing that I also am on The Way. Never alone. Always accompanied. Broken, lost, fearful, joyful, adventurous, excited, and always walking.

5. Sitting in my bed right now, computer in my lap, dog by my side, after another day of post-Christmas shopping, journaling, learning about watercolor and acrylic painting, reading, spending time wandering around Charlotte with my daughter (Steve and Daniel are away at a tennis tournament, surprise, surprise!), planning for a day of delight at the lake with one of my very best friends in the whole world tomorrow (Gibbs, you ROCK!!!), I am filled with joy, gratitude, peace, and wonder. Indeed.


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What special things are you doing to commemorate these final days of the year?
Have you looked back at 2011, reflecting on the most uplifting and most challenging times of the year?
What were the best books you read and movies you saw in 2011?
What were some of the most memorable times you spent with friends and loved ones?
What have you lost this year? What have you found?
Who do you love as this year comes to a close?
To whom have you had to say good-bye?
What do you hope to leave behind as 2011 ends?
What do you hope to embrace in the new year?

What will be your "word of the year" for 2012? 

What are your dreams and goals, hopes and desires?

Whose life will you impact next year?