Trading Mugs

Trading mugs.

I have ten minutes to throw something on this page. And I'll take it!

James Morrison just said from my speaker, "If it's gonna be a rainy day, there's nothing we can do to make it change. We can pray for sunny weather, but that won't stop the rain." So, I looked outside my window that has been revealing only gray, misty skies and water drops falling in slow motion for days now and I agreed out loud. "James Morrison, that is true." But, whether rain or shine is the weather out my window, inside my forecast is bright beaming light. The sun is coming through smiles. Nick and I are quite happy to be home. China, Selma Lu Mela, and Te'a are curled into their same old positions, listening to the same old playlist, in brand new spots. And that glow warms me. Cold, damp day- not here.

I unloaded the dishwasher earlier and all the white foggy glasses and water-spotted colanders came out and as I decided what needed a new home and what should stay, I smiled at this particular reminder of Edenton, NC. If I hadn't loved that little village and the certain people it holds, I would've cussed (just ask Nick what kind of crazy comes out when my dishes are damaged... not so pretty), but it made me smile instead. The water there was my rival. It was horrible water. For people and for dishes. But, I laughed and remembered all the frustration I had unloading my different pieces for a year and half there and how tempting it was to want to take long baths but not be able to soak in the blasted water. Then, I grabbed my big North Carolina Starbucks mug and walked to my coffee station (yes!!! another wonderful part of my new home :) and instead of putting it up in the cabinet by the Atlanta Starbucks mug... I kept it down. I filled up my mug. I traded mugs. It's much like trading spaces, but tastes better and is instant gratification- no heavy hauling required.

I sat in Edenton, had many quality, "this is what life is REALLY all about", meaningful moments and drank out of my Atlanta skyline mug- missing it with a tear in my eye. 

I sit in Atlanta (Roswell, actually), having a quality, "this is what life-learning, in-progress looks like", meaningful moment and am sipping from my North Carolina mug- missing it with a smile on my face.

And the constants remain.

My love, Nick.

My pups.

My music.

My pieces that together make a home.

And coffee.

This is a morning of rain and water spots; music and moving; trading spaces and trading mugs. I'm home.

Ten minutes are up. 

Worldwide Wish

My New Year's Wish to the World we live in:

To be mindful in actions and wishful in thought

To believe in what the soul speaks of from within and step forward confidently in that belief 

To critically listen to words of others and reason independently siting motive more and finesse less  

To reach for clarity, to aim for truth, to land in integrity

To realize reality is not so much real as it is anticipated and projected

To be- by releasing conformity and expectation of sameness

To allow difference with a smile

To trust; not a speech, not a handshake, but a life's exhibition

To look in creatures' eyes because what you see there matters most

To pray with imagination and not fear and fall asleep with childlike security

To rise each day as the sun with simple gifts of light and life

To become the person you wish to be alone that makes the world we all wish to share   

2012.