Snow Day

Snow day.  Rare occurrence in this part of the country.  Some communities in our area enjoying one or two this week.  Schools and businesses shutting down.  Opening up unexpected space in many people's lives.  Time out.  A gift from Mother Nature.  Encouraging folks to slow down.  Step away from the frantic pace many have adapted. Creating an opportunity to rediscover a sense of play.  Read a book. Savour a cup of tea.  Engage in board games.  Get out for a walk. Perhaps reawakening the joy these simple pastimes can bring.

Costumes and Fireworks

Hallowe'en.  One of his favourite celebrations.  Even into adulthood. Various costumes over the years.  Clown, pirate, and Mexican in the early years.  Progressing to ghoul, vampire, and devil.  Followed by hockey player, gangster, and assorted others.  Later in his teens, filling his knapsack with fireworks and firecrackers.  Heading up to the park with a friend despite parental warnings.  Not surprisingly, getting everything confiscated by police a short time later.  Then as an adult, creating unique costumes for parties.  Telling me that actually wearing them was usually quite uncomfortable.  Despite the ideas appearing to be such good ones at the time.  Pure Mike.  Diesel always keen to participate as well. Greeting trick-or-treaters while wearing a Hawaiian shirt or sports jersey.  Those two.  They loved having fun.  Hopefully enjoying their existence immensely wherever they are.  Perhaps even making themselves known during the festivities tonight.    

Moment to Moment

Out for a run in the sun.  Pondering the expression, "One day at a time".  Using it often.  Realizing that perhaps, "One moment at a time" might be more accurate.   Reflecting on the previous evening.  Still early.  Playing Scrabble on the patio.  Warm air, lush greenery, wispy pink clouds against a pale blue sky.  Thoroughly enjoying it all.  Then suddenly, in all that magnificence, feeling a pang of anguish in my chest.  As if a knife were piercing my heart.  Three of Swords card in the Tarot deck.  Why?  For a fleeting moment, expecting  Mike and Kelly to walk in the back door, come out back, pull up some chairs and share highlights of their day.  Then, just as quickly as that image had appeared, the realization followed.   It would not be so.  All of this washed over and through me within seconds.  A few tears shed.  Shortly thereafter, smiling at the beauty of the half moon and the antics of the birds in the fountain.  This is how it flows.  Moment to moment.