WILDLY FREE ELDER
The Artistry of Aging
DAY 12: Light and Shadows
Weaverville, N. Carollina
Today has emerged as a journey in finding joy in light and shadows within and without. It begin with watching the sun emerge over the Blue Ridge Mountain tops, slowly becoming exposed after being concealed.
And as the light increased, chasing away the shadows, greeted by the “Caribbean Dancer” Christmas Cactus sitting right next to the window out of which I was gazing.
A dear friend sent me a simple photo of a banana and two tangerines illuminated in a shaft of morning light – the merging of art and breakfast, shadow and light. A morning greeting.
Walking in the cold crisp air where I met Marvin, a French bulldog puppy, who came up to me with paws gently placed on my legs snuffling almost like a purr and gazing into my eyes in greeting. His beautiful soft gray fur a mixture of light and dark. He made me smile.
All around stirs the process of coming into being – emergence – all clothed in shadow and light, shifting in each moment.
Finally, sitting out on the screened in porch, as the afternoon light and shadows merge with each other. From my vantage point, sitting on the rocking swing seat bathed in sunlight and shadows, I am taken into the peacefulness of this day wrapped in subtleties.
The shadows dance with the lessening of light each day coming nearer to the Solstice. Acceptance of this darker partner who holds stories of birth and death, aging and wisdom, beginnings and endings. love and loss – always shifting and changing.
Will we notice these moments bathing in their depths, becoming a willing partner in a dance with both light and shadow…..
About 31 Days of Joy & Laughter Project:
As elders with a long life behind us and not as much embodied life before us, and as humans on the planet Earth at this time, we are being faced with incredible challenges that compete to take our attention.
A couple of days ago I realized I no longer choose to have my attention taken by the fear, doom and gloom broadcast daily, whether on our smart phones news feed or while talking to others. I am weary of it all and need a higher vibration energy bath!.
It is not that I don’t want to know what is happening in the world, but instead the question I am posing to myself, and to you, every day is – where do we want to place our attention? We most always have a choice.
For the month of December I am placing attention on joy, laughter, creativity and acts of kindness as a experiment to see what unfolds. Seeking out and being aware of moments of joy sometimes hidden in the deep pockets and lining of each and every day that seem to get passed over without even looking back. They are always there.
Each day in December you will find a small nugget of joy, humor, creativity or small act of kindness that found me and pulled my attention which will be posted here. I invite you to join me and share your experiences and what you noticed so that we may spread it around! (Please use the “Comment” section below).
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You can also find all of the posts in the archives here: http://wildlyfreeelder.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 12/12/21. Please feel free to share this post and link to WildlyFreeEld
I am loving these posts! Thank you so much.
Thank you Janice. I sincerely appreciate your comment!! Happy Holidays….Gaye