"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." -- Leonard Cohen

Wishing you love and light, peace and health in 2011.

December days

"Expectancy is the atmosphere for miracles." -- Edwin Louis Cole

The good with the bad

One of the amazing things about life is how the darkness and the light are intermingled. This is an essential teaching of many faiths and at no other time of the year is it more acutely felt than in December. Right now many people in my circle are going through difficult times and there have been losses that break the heart.

And yet.

At the same time there are small joys and reasons to celebrate. One tiny candle illuminates the darkness and sheds a light that gives us hope. If we can add to that light incrementally, one small candle at a time, we can illuminate the world. If we can be that candle, we can lift one another into the light.

Wishing you light and love this Chanukah.

The attitude is gratitude

"Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart, and not in the mind." -- Lionel Hampton

Gotta fly now

Times are tough, there's no doubt about that, but rather than give in to setbacks I'm trying to see them as fresh opportunities. A chance to soar, not wallow. An opportunity to brush off my skills and put them to work in new ways. I may not succeed, but I'll never fly if I don't start flapping.

Let's get small

Where has the year gone? It feels like it flew by while I ran to keep up, but much of it has been good. Certainly I have no problem counting my blessings in spite of a few extremely difficult patches. I'm still in a holding pattern here, hoping to get my computer cleaned out and backed up so I can share new adventures in art and photography. In the meantime, I'm using photos from my recent archives. There's something fresh and relaxing about keeping things small and light. I often tell my writing students to "go small" when a story gets away from them. Nice to know my advice works here, too. Does it work for you?

Halloween girl

I've been gone from here for so long just trying to keep all the balls up in the air but this is my birthday weekend and I wanted to share it with my art friends and thank those of you who wrote for your good wishes. I have so much planned for this blog and hope to be back in the saddle soon. Meanwhile, have a safe and sane weekend!