Happy Birthday, Milo!

It's hard to believe that my Little Bean is EIGHT today. He is such a fun and funny member of our family, making me laugh every day, no matter what might be on my mind. He is also a world-class lap snuggler, keeping me warm on those cold, windy days that make a 270 year-old farmhouse house feels drafty.

Keeping Mom warm

From the connection we have when tracking, to Milo's overflowing joy every time I walk upstairs from the basement, to his silly, happy dance at mealtimes, Milo is a delight and has been a gift from the day he joined our family. Happy Birthday, Milo Bean, and may you have many more!

 

Rolling with Lucy!

Playing with Kippy

Solitude

There is a contemplative 

in all of us,

almost strangled

but still alive,

who craves quiet

enjoyment of the Now,

and longs to touch

the seamless

garment of silence

which

makes whole.

                                                 Alan P. Tory

I move around the house, breathing air rich with potential. My thoughts slow, not in lassitude, but with quiet peace that opens me to the broad expanse of today. I look around, see sunlight painting patterns on the fir flooring, Milo basking on the hearth, the meandering stream sparkling through the woods. Birds sing from time to time, but not often; I hear the near stillness of a winter day.

Time alone, solitude-- words of invitation to step out and in. Out of the bustle and pressure of rushing toward the future, into the richness of the present moment. My tattered soul longs for, yet resists the quiet invitation, clinging anxiously to the demands of the urgent, even while reaching for the Now.

The present gently envelops me; my eyes open to the small and the large that I’ve been missing in the rush. Fingers relax, breathing slows and deepens, colors catch and hold my eye, smiles dance across my face…

This hour passes timelessly, I in concert with it. Afterward, my soul once again whole, I look to the future, now filled with peace and joy. 

Morning Sparkle