Holy Week

Jesus walked around on the dust of this world, saying things that toppled our worldly views.

The way up is down.
The last shall be first. The first shall be last.

The stories he told were outrageous. The people he hung around with were sinners. Thank goodness for our sake! He came here for us.

Have you been watching "The Bible" each Sunday night on the History channel? What do you think about it? It is pretty neat to see some of the lesser known stories come to life, and the most well-known stories as well. And if curious watchers are learning about God's love through this visual vehicle, that is good news! Passages I have been studying recently in the New Testament are portrayed on screen, which only makes me reflect on it again. And watching the Old Testament stories makes me want to go back and re-read them to see what I had missed before.

I have been thinking lately how many times our way of thinking is completely opposite of what is best. We think power is good. Jesus tells us blessed are the meek. We think wealth is good. Jesus says blessed are the poor in spirit. We think minding our business and keeping quiet is the best, but Isaiah tells us to spread the good news! How beautiful are the feet of those who share the good news!

This Holy Week has been a strange one for me, being away from home, out of my routine, away from people I know. But no matter where I am I can be a part of Holy Week. I went to a Maundy Thursday dinner at a church here in Ft.Wayne, Indiana last night. It was such an amazing experience. And I have met some incredible people this week.

Take part in Holy Week. Wherever you are. Let it dwell in your heart and mind. Let Jesus' love for you really sink in as you think about the emotions He was feeling on Maundy Thursday, knowing it was His last night. And today, on Good Friday, knowing exactly what he was about to go through. The weight of all our sins on His shoulders, the suffering, feeling alone. He went through that because He knew what was to come....on the third day....

Snow on Snow

Snow on snow on snow
Only a handful of inches though
satisfies a portion of my crave.
Standing in this snow I have
at my feet, giddy like a child
my excitement is rather mild
if you call pepper flakes dull.
Dancing jigs in my head as I lull,
gazing out the window of the room,
dashing outside to catch snowflakes soon.

Snow Day

My snow dream came true!!
Sunday night the snow started as I was going to bed. I peaked out my hotel window and saw a light layer of snow. I was giddy like a little kid.
Then at 4:30 AM I woke up by some noise out in the parking lot. I rose and peaked out the window to see the plow man (Mr. Plowman?) clearing the parking lot. There was enough snow for all the schools to cancel classes. I think it was about 3-4 inches, which is nothing to the locals here.

Gladly, my fellow trainee said she would drive to the office for training, because I have never driven in the snow! And we were in a little snow storm! I loved every minute of it. The big, fat flakes falling softly. The fluffy snow layering everything in sight. The trees, the buildings, the ground, the signs. Walking through the freshly fallen snow into the office building and out for lunch.

At the office (pictured above), we worked in the conference room, which has a big window so I could gaze out at the snow falling all day. I confess, I would have much rather curled up with a book by the window to watch the snow fall, but at least I could watch it as I trained.

I am easily satisfied with little things that God does. Gifts from Him. He knows how much I love snow and wanted to be in it. I am so thankful for being able to see snow!

My Hope, My Comfort

Though far I roam,
that thought shall be
my hope, my comfort,
everywhere;

While such a home
remains to me
My heart shall never
know despair!

- Anne Brontë

I am in Indiana for the week for training with my new job. I am so excited for this opportunity, and this position has been so clearly orchestrated by God. It has been amazing to see all the pieces fall into place and I am so thankful. It can be hard to be away from my familiar place of home, with nobody I know nearby. I enjoy traveling and exploring a city, even when I am alone. But I love this portion of a poem by Anne Brontë because it expresses a true sense of hope and comfort, no matter where she is.

I have been studying the Brontës for nine weeks now, in my Oxford class online, and I have learned so much. Not just about the Brontës themselves, but also how to read and analyse text. Also, how to articulate my thoughts on the literature more precisely. I never paid attention to Anne before this class, but I have grown to enjoy her writings more than I ever thought possible. She writes with such faith and hope, it is inspiring. She watched her sister Emily die, her brother die, and she herself died shortly after that. But she never gave up hope and kept her faith no matter where she was. When she was far from home working as a governess, she dug into her faith for comfort and wrote poetry about it.

And now, here I am, sitting in a Starbucks in Ft. Wayne, Indiana writing a paper for class about one of Anne's poems and one of Emily's poems, and drinking a London Fog (Early Grey tea, steamed milk, and vanilla). I am sitting by a large glass window with the wind blowing furiously outside as I write furiously. Snow is forecast to start anytime. Flurries fell at lunch. How appropriate for me to read Anne's words at this time.

Notes from a Tired Traveler

Notes from a tired traveler: St. Petersburg to Ft. Wayne

The moon rose early with me this morning. It was peaking out from the dark rain clouds as I drove to the airport at 4 AM. My eyes are so tired, I cannot read my book anymore, so I will give writing a try. I am on the flight to Ft. Wayne and the sun is rising now, to my right, with a lovely pink glow coming up over the quilt-like bumpy blanket of clouds on the horizon. Glowing sunlight is now brightening the cabin. It's quiet. I want to sleep, but I cannot.

We are flying through some thin, wispy clouds that are awash in a pinkish hue of the rising sun. It's beautiful to see the world from this perspective. Did earlier generations (before planes were invented) ever wonder what the earth and clouds look like from 34,000 feet? Of course they must have. We are so privileged to get views from this height.

I am dreaming about breakfast. I have been awake so long now that my mouth is watering for some biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, and hash browns. And coffee. Lots of coffee.

The sun has invoked my sense of awakening, though I am still so so tired. When I left St. Petersburg it was 64 degrees. Ft. Wayne is 28 degrees. Snow is in the forecast, which excites the redhead Floridian who is writing these muddled words. The plane is hitting some turbulence so my handwriting is getting messy and it's hard to write. Perhaps the plane doesn't want to fly to a colder place. Everyone in the plane groaned when the pilot told us the temperature in Ft. Wayne was 28 degrees. I guess I am the only excited one. 

Trust in Him

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Romans 15.13

God has given me all I need. It is amazing how it works, really. When I relinquish all my sense of control and let God take it all, His plans come to pass. When I say "Lord, if it is Your will,....." His plan for me takes place.

I go through a thoughtful process when planning. I think things through and don't make hasty decisions. But even when I am careful, I may not make the best plans for myself. My vision is shortened because I am human and I cannot see the whole picture. The grand design of God's plans are based on so much more than how I feel at the moment. He sees ALL the pieces ALL the time.

His plans are perfect.

Therefore, I am trusting in His plans. With all the changes taking place in my life, I am seeing God's work come to life more easily. He placed opportunities in front of me and clearly showed me that I should take them. I am so glad it was clear because I have not doubted at all. I have had confidence in my decisions because I know they are from God's hands moving all the pieces. And I have joy and peace as I trust Him.

Travel Spot: Tynemouth, England

I have had the privilege and opportunity to go on some amazing travel adventures over the last several years, and I thought I would share a few things from some of my favourite cities. I will spotlight each city in a post and the challenge is to share my favourites as follows:

1. The Eatery 2. The Touristy 3. The Non-touristy

Here we are at Tynemouth, England!

The Touristy: Tynemouth Castle and Priory Ruins
I think in the summer this would be touristy, but I was here in September, so it was chilly, windy, and deserted. I almost had the whole of the grounds to myself. The castle keep and the ruined priory occupy this cliff overlooking the North Sea. It's quite a historical spot that used to be the largest fortification site in England. The history goes back 2000 years. The weather-worn stone is slowly being taken away in the wind, so these ruins will only dissipate more and more as time goes on. 

 The Eatery: No. 61 Guesthouse and Tea Rooms, Front Street
After being outside exploring the ruins in the cold and wind, nothing sounded better than a big bowl of soup, a pot of tea, and a savory scone. This was such a delicious lunch. I drank the whole pot of tea and felt so much better (nobody knows how to make tea as good as the English).Warmed to the core. One of my favourite lunches.

The Non-Touristy: The town and the beaches

Again, in the summer this would be very touristy, with flocks of people hopping on the metro, as I did, (which dates back to 1882) from Newcastle to Tynemouth to take advantage of the wide sandy beaches. The seaside views and buildings invoke a Jane Austen and Brontë mind-set in me, imagining how in their novels and in their lives, a visit to the seaside was a most grand and fashionable of holidays.

Visit other places with me! Here is San Francisco, London, Oxford, Providence, Newcastle, and Portland

The Shark

Da du.
Da du.
Da du da du da du.
That's a shark (Jaws) sound if you weren't catching on. This style BMW is a 635csi, also known as a shark. It was built in 1989, the last year BMW made this model. Doesn't it look like a shark?
This is a cool car. It was my Dad's, which he bought in 2000, and we have kept it these three and a half years since his passing, but we rarely get to enjoy it, or take it out on the open road and drive it like it's meant to be driven. I have driven this car many times over the years, and I always enjoyed it (while feeling super cool).
This car needs to run. It needs to be enjoyed. The shark needs to swim fast and take some corners.

So, my family has thought about it much and decided to sell it. We are all sad that we have to, but none of us can afford to keep it. All of us would like to keep it, of course. But we know it is not practical for any of us to maintain it in addition to our regular car. We want a BMW enthusiast to buy it and drive it. That's what Dad would want. My Dad was a believer in driving your car, even if it's a "show" car, like this one, which has been garaged and in many car shows. If you aren't getting to drive it and having fun, what's the point of it? After all, it is a car. And cars are meant to be driven. Especially the shark.

There Are No Ordinary People

Don't be afraid to be different from the crowd. Variety makes the world more beautiful.

I am not a fan of following the crowd. I never was, really. I like getting ideas and inspiration from other creative people, but we were created to create. Not in a flashy look-at-me way, but in a use-your-talents-for-others way. It is not that I want to draw attention to myself, but I want to draw attention to my Creator who gave me all the creativity I have. All the gifts. All the talents. Nothing is from me.

What a dull world we would live in if we all copied one another or tried to be like each other. Sometimes we view our being different as a hindrance to "fitting in", but we were made to not fit into this world, but to fit into the next world. We are not just ordinary people. We are so much more. What is ordinary? I will let C.S. Lewis explain:

There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.
- C.S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory"

My True Country

I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or be unthankful for, these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for the something else of which they are only a kind of copy, or echo, or mirage. I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same.
- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity 

It is when good things happen that we so easily get comfortable in this world without regards to the place we are truly meant to belong. I love to travel and I feel like certain places suit me and compliment the way I like to live and hold things that interest me. But no place here was made for me. There will always be a hollow gap that cannot be filled. But the true country of heaven will be made to fit me perfectly. Like a lock and a key.

I don't ever want to lose that main object of focus, as C.S. Lewis refers to, for the other country that is to come. It is a dangerous place to stray to, getting off track to a self-centeredness without acknowledging God. While all the good here is full of God's grace and love, we should not get caught in the here-and-now. When I think about the places I love to travel to, I smile because I see them as just a sampling of all the glorious sights that our true country will have.

Gathering Thoughts

I gather my thoughts in this sole quiet moment before I need to slip into bed, to sit in a solitude of thankfulness. I know the recent events in my life have been made possible through God's grace. He has truly lined it all up to unroll at this time into this beautiful plan that I never could have coordinated myself if I tried.

It is the kind of unfolding of plans that could not have been predicted or seen even two months ago. I sat back and watched them unfold knowing it is not because I have been extra good or that I deserve anything to happen. But God has allowed these good things to take place. He created these bright and beautiful patches of light to shine while I was seemly stuck in a darkness that overshadowed parts of me.

Changes are in progress. Good things. I am so thankful to God for the people in my life and for the opportunities that have fallen into my lap.

I will let Madeleine L'Engle's wise words close my musing. She so eloquently puts into words exactly what I say and feel oftentimes. Don't forget to believe six impossible things tomorrow before breakfast.

It might be a good idea if, like the White Queen, we practiced believing six impossible things every morning before breakfast, for we are called on to believe what to many people is impossible. Instead of rejoicing in this glorious "impossible" which gives meaning and dignity to our lives, we try to domesticate God, to make his might actions comprehensible to our finite minds.
- Walking on Water, Madeleine L'Engle

Books & Society

"You leave the commandments of God and hold fast to the traditions of men." - Jesus, in Mark 7.8

How quickly do we collectively accept something because society tells us it is okay? How easily do we let the line blur more and more?

The important question we should ask is- when presented with something that does not seem right, do we ask what Scripture says about it? Or culture?

A certain book recently became wildly popular and a huge bestseller. I knew nothing about it, so while watching the news one morning a while ago, they were interviewing the author, so I paid attention to find out what all the fuss was about. I am not usually a reader of bestseller fiction. All the hype and popularity does not impress me, and whenever I do read a popular bestseller I am constantly left disappointed and wishing I had spent that time reading a classic. But book lover that I am, I am always curious to find out what a new book is about which would attract so many readers.

To say it was a grave disappointment would be an understatement, when I tuned into the interview on ABC or NBC (whichever major morning show) and they started talking about the content of the book. It is, in essence, an adult novel with explicit, violent, immoral, and violating situations that cross every line. I don't have any desire to read a page after hearing the description on the news and I was distraught that this kind of book was at the top of the bestsellers and that so many women out there are reading it. Even worse, I started seeing this book on every front table of every bookstore with easy access for anyone to buy. Then, I heard women at work talking about how they cannot put it down.

Our society is eager to spur them on. More sales. More hype. It doesn't matter that the content of the book is degrading to all things moral, pure, peaceable, and wise.
Society says - read the books. Everyone is talking about them.
The Bible says - think of things that are from above, not of things on the earth. Think of all things pure.

When we willingly feed our minds the trash that is out there, we produce the same. Jesus tells us that what comes out from the heart of man is what shows he is defiled. All the bad things that come out of us is truly from within. How can we produce good fruits of God's love if we fill ourselves with rotten seeds that implant sinful thoughts?

There are so many amazing books to read. My head spins when I realize how many I desire to read. Consequently, I am pretty picky in my selection of books. I hear C.S. Lewis in my head when he said that we don't need more Christian books, but more Christians who write. Lewis and his friend, J.R.R. Tolkien were perfect examples of this with their stories of Narnia and Middle-Earth. Non-Christians all over the world love these stories, but they are not "Christian" books.

Instead, they show the good triumph over evil by doing the right thing, by showing mercy, by forgiveness, by laying down their life for friends, for hoping when all is dark, and for fighting for what is good.

These good books make you think about how you would act in a similar situation. It causes you to ask deeper questions about why the characters did what they did, and what motivated them. As to the book being discussed on the news that morning, there is no thinking. Just the fleeting passion that fades like a sunset leaving you hollow and unfulfilled. After watching a few minutes of the interview, I turned it off and reached for my current C.S. Lewis book.

Moonlight

Moonlight rising with the night,
glowing petals of a soft light
cast moon shadows all around.
Mysterious shapes imprint the ground,
and a chilly breeze moves through,
throwing accents of sounds anew.
Dim, hollow noises pierce the dark,
waiting for the grace of a tiny spark.
A direction chosen by nary a light
In wonderment, is this path right?

Travel Spot: Portland, Maine

I have had the privilege and opportunity to go on some amazing travel adventures over the last several years, and I thought I would share a few things from some of my favourite cities. I will spotlight each city in a post and the challenge is to share my favourites as follows:

1. The Eatery 2. The Touristy 3. The Non-touristy

Here we are at Portland, Maine!

The Eatery: Arabica Coffee Co.
I was visiting my old friend, Emily, who moved to Maine a year or so before, and we took a day to explore Portland. To start our day off right, we went to a local coffee shop downtown. I had the most delicious maple latte! It was such a cozy atmosphere with brick walls and wood floors. Emily and I sat here and talked for a long time. This was a place I could have spent hours at, easily. 

The Touristy: Old Downtown
I was not visiting Maine during their busy season. In the cold month of December, all the tourists seek the warmth of Florida, except me. But this old street would be abuzz with tourists in the summer. When I was there, though, it was cold and quiet. And fun to explore.

The Non-Touristy: Just Outside Portland
Not far outside the city is this. Serene lakes and beautiful, peaceful nature. Of course, if I were here in the summer, this would be deemed touristy because of the flocks of people who come to this area. However, when I was here it was like I was a million miles away from crowds (and I was. They were all down in FL).

To visit San Francisco, click here.
To visit London, click here.
To visit Oxford, click here.
To visit Providence, click here.
To visit Newcastle, click here.

Cycle of Words

In the following pages we shall see good words, or good senses of words, losing their edge or, more rarely, recovering it or getting a new edge that serves some different purpose.
- Studies in Words, C.S. Lewis

I love to write. It is one of those things I cannot ignore.Writing ignites words and creativity in my mind. The process of writing expands my understanding of myself and of others. It is here, in my writing, that I can meditate and ponder about something, circle around it pensively, and conclude a page with a deeper sense of appreciation for everything in my life. Or, sometimes my pages are full of questions and musings about that which I do not understand. Even though no answer or conclusion is reached I know how deep my questions are and what I need to pray about.

My writing is a place where I can be me, without judgmental glances and critique. It is not, however, where I am always right. I most surely am not. I have so much to learn and it is a place where I do learn through my experiences. Writing about them helps me learn from them. And so ensues the cycle.

It's a beautiful cycle of words.

As a side note, this is my new journal, made with a photograph I took and some Washi tape. Love a personalized journal!

Anne Brontë

But he who dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose.
-Anne Brontë

I am a great admirer of the youngest Brontë sibling, Anne. I must confess that I was not drawn to her writings before I took my Oxford class, but through reading her books Agnes Grey, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, and reading her poetry, I have grown to admire her and her writing so much.

Her sisters, Charlotte and Emily are the popular ones. Their books Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights receive the most attention from readers and movie makers because there is dramatic, Gothic elements that provoke discussions among readers. There are characters with multi-dimensions and shadowy pasts like Heathcliff and Rochester, who are each a "hero" in a strange way. And the stories are haunting and engrossing.

Anne, though, writes with a more poetic prose. She writes about hardships and suffering from a first-person narrative, and how the characters draw from their faith in God to get through it and make the right decisions. They are not religious novels, but you cannot help but notice Anne's deep faith rooted in her belief in doing the right thing, no matter what.

I honestly did not expect her writing to be so engaging, so full of powerful stories that drew me in. Anne's writing was not greatly admired by her sister, Charlotte, because it is reminiscent of how Jane Austen writes, so perhaps Charlotte did not think Anne's writing to be original in that sense. But I do not agree with Charlotte's views on Anne's writing.

Anne has a beautiful sense of hope in her writing and poems. It is clear that God was her center and focus, because even in the darkness she writes about and went through herself, there is that sense of faith and hope in God. She had a short life, like her sisters (all but Charlotte) who all died very young, but Anne had such a deep peace in her life that is portrayed in her words:

Pass pleasant scenes unnoticed by,
Because the next is bleak and drear;
Or not enjoy a smiling sky,
Because a tempest may be near?

No! While we journey on our way,
We'll smile on every lovely thing;
And ever, as they pass away,
To memory and hope we'll cling.

And though that awful river flows
Before us, when the journey's past,
Perchance of all the pilgrim's woes
Most dreadful- shrink not- 'tis the last!

Though icy cold, and dark, and deep;
Beyond it smiles that blessed shore,
Where none shall suffer, none shall weep,
And bliss shall reign for evermore!

Show Mercy

C.S. Lewis' words always have a way of clarifying life for me, and I constantly hear his words in my head as I approach the myriad of life's circumstances.

When I think about the grace and forgiveness that has fallen upon me, I am so thankful, because I look at my life and see so many things that I did not do well. So many times I have faltered and not trusted. And worst of all, not loved.

I need to show more mercy. More love.

Sometimes circumstances make me cold toward others. I distance myself in order to stay out of drama. I don't do drama. But sometimes that means I come across as cold and indifferent. At every opportunity, mercy should pour out of me. Why should I ever hold back when my Lord has never held back on me? His mercy covers all of my shortcomings. His love covers all my sin.

Bitterness and anger are not becoming attitudes. They make you old and sullen. Mercy, grace, and gentleness makes your whole countenance glow with God's love. Sometimes I find myself going around full circle and ending at mercy which is how to get back home the long way.

New Things

 I am going to be moving in about a month. To a little garage apartment built in 1950 and has charm that won me over pretty quickly. I brought my brother and sister-in-law over there to see it, and they approve of the place. I am really excited! It's located so close to downtown and the two prettiest lakes in town. It has pine floors and lovely little details like glass doorknobs and chair rails around some walls. I will be saving a lot of money moving here, and my friend Emily lives next door! 

I bought some pretty flowers. I really wanted to find some fresh cut flowers, but cannot seem to find any in this town, without spending a fortune. I just want some flowers from someone's garden that were cut that morning. Is that too much to ask? Maybe so. Anyway, I bought this little potted succulent from my church bookstore. They had several left from Valentine's and I gave in to their pretty rose-like petals and the promise that they are a hearty plant. I have no green thumb, so that will be put to the test.

My book bag from NYC is getting used with all my Brontë related books and notebook for class. I tote this around to work or if I am going to hang out somewhere, so I can work on my class if time permits. The symbol on the bag is the Chinese character for "book", though Zoë told me there is another character that goes with this one to actually mean "book", but then it wouldn't spell S-T-R-A-N-D, and I suppose that is the point. It is still cool, though. 

Travel Spot: Newcastle, England

I have had the privilege and opportunity to go on some amazing travel adventures over the last several years, and I thought I would share a few things from some of my favourite cities. I will spotlight each city in a post and the challenge is to share my favourites as follows:
1. The Eatery 2. The Touristy 3. The Non-touristy

Here we are at Newcastle, England!

The Touristy: Grey Street
The year I first visited England, Grey Street was voted the most beautiful street in the country. Can you see why? It curves slightly uphill toward the shopping district in Newcastle, and the facades of all the buildings are absolutely beautiful. This area is full of everyday business people and a lot of visitors, too. Many fine retail shops are here, restaurants, and a Waterstone's bookstore (which is where I was heading). The metro stop is near the Earl Grey Monument (the tall, skinny monument you see here commemorating the real person Earl Grey, who invented one of my favourite teas). I took the metro on several occasions. A few times out to the North Sea, which I will have to share another time.

The Non-Touristy: City views from the Castle Keep
It seemed to me that most visitors to Newcastle go to the shopping district, leaving the Castle Keep pretty quiet. I visited this castle built in 1168 and almost had the place to myself, which was a little creepy inside, almost alone, I will say. But the views up here were beautiful. The Cathedral Church of St. Nicholas dates from the end of the 12th century, but was damaged by fire and repaired in the 13th century. It is beautiful inside and out. Looking across the River Tyne into Gateshead, the Sage is the bean shaped mirrored building. It's the modern convention hall where my brother Jason was working all those days we were there (both years we were there). He was stuck inside while I got to wander around the city and beyond....

The Eatery: Oddly, I do not have any photographic evidence of anything I ate in Newcastle, so I am going to cheat here, by showing some items I bought while exploring one day. Back at the hotel I set it out on the table. Book purchases, Scottish water, some coffee or hot chocolate, and it looks like a Gregg's bag from a hot meat pastry lunch (those were so good. I wish we had those here). You can see what I spend my money on. Books!

To visit San Francisco, click here.
To visit London, click here.
To visit Oxford, click here.
To visit Providence, click here.

Cuppa

My my. My mind is awake today.
The cold weather does that to me. It invokes a thoughtful countenance accompanied by more cups of coffee and tea, which leads to more time in a cozy chair with a book, my journal, and a pen. All that combines to a chilly/cozy apartment where I can don my favourite caramel sweater, crochet booties, and a blanket.

A mind awake, to borrow a phrase from C.S. Lewis. A mental energy that abounds in the cold. The possibilities are endless because I love both the indoors and the outdoors on a day like today. A day that won't even reach 60! That's what I call perfect. Call me strange. Call me weird.

My cup of coffee is getting cold because I am writing so intently, so I better finish it and get to work on my Oxford class assignments.

Have a good Monday!

35°

Chilled limbs and frozen hands
from winds crossing the lands
dropping digits in the South
is when I really want to be out
where the sky is blue and bright
and the welcomed warmth of the sun's light
reaches down to touch a chilled space
and a smile is implanted on my face


I live for these chilly days in Florida. They are such a rarity, I step outside as much as humanly possible. I know, I know. You probably disagree and think me mad. But that is okay. I am going to keep on smiling on days like this, just to make you look at me weird.

...like moonlight
on a favorite book.
-Rainer Rilke