#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream

December 10. Morning, and I was tired. And needing, more than anything, a walk in the woods. Charlie too. It was cold, not quite freezing. Some spatterings of ice. And I listened to the Abbey of the Arts podcast while I crunched through the leaves and stopped at the river and the brook. This song by Peter Mayer moved me deeply:

Hands open to the day

Breathe in, breathe out

Hands joined as if to pray

Breathe in, breathe out

~ Peter Mayer

My daughter did my makeup, my other daughter took my photos; new headshots needed asap for an article about me. Quick as I asked, the girls jumped in to help. And then we all went off to Rhode Island for a family holiday party that has happened my whole life. Hosted by my cousins, and a chance to see my sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, many cousins from my father’s side and eat delicious food and feel so grateful for family connection. On the drive home, we all knew it was just the right moment to go to Lovell’s garden center in Medfield, our annual trip, to get our Christmas tree and greens. It was so cold! But my youngest, who is always the picker and chooser, found a very fine one to take home. Frank set it up before leaving tomorrow. And, now a little of my holiday stress is resolved because we have made this significant step in the celebration. Tonight, I listened again to the Peter Mayer meditation that brought me so much peace, clarity and hope this morning in the woods under the December clouds.