I’ve been focusing on practicing gratitude this season of light.
I seem to be feeling the darkness of this time of year more than usual. Being away from my family for so long is wearing on me. But at the same time, the snow feels more magical and the sight of the Rocky Mountains in the distance fills me with awe.
Usually, at this time of year, I’d be starting my winter break and heading off to spend time with my parents and/or daughters. At this time last year, I was heading to the Bronx to spend time with my daughter Gabi-it was a wonderful visit! I won’t be seeing any of them this year–at least not in person. While I appreciate the blessings of technology, it doesn’t replace being with people in person.
We had a Zoom Hanukkah dinner last Saturday–my daughters, a fiancee, my ex-husband, his fiancee, her son, my roommate, and me. I made latkes and home-made applesauce, and the house smelled wonderful–and they were delicious! We all ate together by candlelight and computer glow. I was so happy to see everyone.
But I also felt sad. Sad not to be able to hug my family, to be able to laugh together–and cooking with my daughters is one of my favorite things in the world. It’s very Hygge (I’ve been reading The Little Book of Hygge this week).
Gratitude for Poetry Challenges–and Poetry Friday
My friend, Michelle Kogan, is hosting Poetry Friday this week. She shares a poem about stardust and hope and some wonderful space friends she created. Poetry Friday always lifts my spirits. I’m grateful to connect with such wonderful, thoughtful poets.
And this week marks the start of the New Years Poetry Challenge from the Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center, which I learned about from Poetry Friday peeps last year. It started earlier this week. I knew I wouldn’t do all of the challenges–I have a ton of work right now–but I’m enjoying reading the challenges and choosing which ones I’ll do.
As for work–I’m editing 2 books right now and indexing another. And I’m really excited about all three of them. One is a novel about a family in post-slavery Georgia, one is by a naturopathic physican about nutrition and health, and the other is about crystals and healing. I’m honored to be part of bringing them into the world. They are definitely on my gratitude list.
Gratitude haiku
I wrote 2 haiku this week–from the first prompt of the poetry challenge, which was to :
| “Write a haiku for some hope or joy that has happened to you during 2020.” |
The wool haiku:
The first haiku was inspired by the children I worked with in summer camp this year. We spent a lot of the summer playing with wool–picking and cleaning it, carding it, dying it, wet and dry felting and spinning. I was in heaven and–oh, yeah–the kids loved it, too.
Nine-year-old fingers
Whirl the spindle, pinch the fleece
Spinning lumpy yarn
The making people haiku:
I’m offering a DIY Parent child class on Soul Blossom Kids. Each week, I add new songs, a story and an activity. This week, I shared gingerbread people, the story of the gingerbread boy, and 2 snowman verses. Enrollment is off to a slow start–but it’s only been a couple of months. In the meantime, I’m enjoying sharing all the things I’ve learned in all my years as a Waldorf early childhood teacher. This week I shared a Waldorf Christmas song and a story I wrote on my YouTube channel, too.
As I was putting everything together earlier today, this haiku popped into my head–another moment of gratitude for the work of our hands
Hands rolling, shaping
People made of snow and dough
Homely winter joys
And in case you’re in the mood for more haiku, here’s one I wrote for the first snow of the season a while back.
Gratitude for you
Thank you so much for stopping by. I wish you happy holidays–whatever holidays you celebrate. And I wish for you that you find light in the darkness–and comfort and warmth, too.
xoxo
What a beautiful post…I understand the sadness and the darkness getting to a person. Me too. I think that sharing that truth is helpful. At least, it’s helpful to me. I so look forward to lengthening days. I love the portrait of your family in this post. You have wonderful loved ones to celebrate light with. Haiku to the rescue! Isn’t it wonderful how counting syllables is like counting blessings? You’ve given me an idea. Happy Hanukkah to you…I pray the light lasts within you.
Thanks, Linda. It’s been important to me lately to acknowledge the complexity of feelings I’ve been feeling. And I do feel so grateful to have my wonderful family to celebrate with. I really like that idea–counting syllables like counting blessings. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
I love all of these. Wishing you times of warmth and joy during your break.
Thanks, Ruth. The happiest of holidays to you!
Such a beautiful and rich post Susan, I love your haikus, your song, and story too! And thanks so much for sharing ” The Little Book of Hygge” it looks wonderful, I may have to find a copy… Glad you were able to spend some special time with your family, even if it was only on Zoom–sigh. I’m also happy to hear you have a roommate. Thanks for this warm hug of a post, happiest of Holidays to you Susan, xo
Thanks, Michelle. Happy holidays to you, too!
I love both of these haiku. I feel the joy in them. I will need to check out the poetry challenge but I feel like I have quite the line up writing projects right now. May your holiday be bright and merry.
Thanks, Jone. I’ve just been doing a few of the challenges. Sometimes it’s really fun to have a challenge from the outside and sometimes it’s better to focus on what we already have. Good luck with all of your projects. And happy holidays!
[…] Remember the light, the delight, the joy–create celebration. Last week, I talked about the practice of gratitude in these difficult times. I’ve really been focusing on the pleasures of daily […]