Celebrating Life

I wonder when birthdays became something we celebrated.
Whoever came up with the idea?
Paying attention to the date someone was born - celebrating
when they first breathed life and counting the years of life that have passed!

If I knew, I would like to thank them. Big time!
My children threw a birthday party for me
and it was a highlight in my life. Seeing family and friends faces with smiles, being embraced with genuine hugs and scanning the room full of joyful people. I am honored to know these people - let alone be loved by them.
What a great celebration!

It is becoming difficult to try to wrap my mind around how it made me feel. I like the example of what Jimmy Stewart might have felt at the end of the movie "It's A Wonderful Life", as people left his home and he tried to grasp the love that was demonstrated. His face was shining with a brilliance - and I feel that mine is still aglow. Love can do that. It has the power to make your face brilliant in color and your smile larger than life.

There have been several times in my life that I have felt totally and completely loved - and it is a very good feeling. In fact, I think I will hold onto it. I do believe it will make me more of a loving person - it can't help but spill out - for I am filled to overflowing :)

God can do amazing things through human beings. I believe it was Him loving me all along - through His love demonstrated by a celebration of those He has put in my life.

What an amazing God we have - and what amazing people He lets me love back!

Tiramasu for Our Eyes

Oh, yes. Those beautiful pictures - faces, scenes, experiences, that become candy for our eyes. Enjoyment - tasting the richness of life. As I age, I should probably call them "tiramasu" for my eyes - for it is richer to my taste buds than candy :)

I recently wrote a short poem about one of them - and, yes, I am moving forward - as we all do - yet, I do remember with sweetness - the tiramasu eye moments like beach visits.

"I can still see him sitting with a beach chair for support,
his book propped on his lap
basking in the sun as the ocean waves crash
His glasses shield his eyes from the strong rays
as he reaches for his water.
He shoots a smile my way -
the smile twinkles like the water
sparkling bright and playfully.
I smile back and wiggle in my chair
the umbrella providing shade I enjoy.
Pompano, oh Pompano -
Your heart calls me home
to walk where we walked together
so many times
We shared so much of life together
under your sun and moon."

Tiramasu for our eyes -
Here is to Our Lord providing new memories for each of us -
new smiles along our journey -
May you be making tiramasu for another set of eyes today - especially as the Lord watches :)

Enjoy life!
Mary