Tonight the full cold moon has risen and is shining brightly above the Arkansas Hills. As the days wane for 2011 I wish to share a poem I wrote – inspired by the coming of the solstice and new beginnings.
Sunlight hours fade; Opportunity to pause and reflect
Celebrate her return; New beginnings
I will be in Big Bend National Park during the Solstice, with my husband and mother-in-law (Chisos Mountain campground host extraordinaire).
I will be celebrating her (the sun’s) return by lighting luminarias in this remote desert park that hugs the Mexico border along the Rio Grande River.
This is a tradition I’ve had the honor of sharing with dear friends Susan Tweit and Richard Cabe for the past few years. This year it is somewhat bittersweet the lighting will also be a celebration of Richard, who lost his battle with brain cancer just a few short weeks ago. I will also be honoring my mother who created a luminaria celebration on the street where I grew up, on Christmas Eve.
I will be make time to pause and reflect on the beauty of life’s ordinary moments. I will shed any negative beliefs that have crawled into the year and celebrate the opportunity for new beginnings. I will remember my friend, Richard, and mother, Amy, with love and admiration.
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This post is in honor of my second ‘blog-iversary’. I am honored by the bloggers who have taken the time to visit my blog. I am in awe of the community I have met from reaching out through blogging. I started the mountain mermaid on December 9, because I missed being prepared to start on my birthday 9/9, and nines, and those numbers that have nine in them or are divisible by nine, feel auspicious to me.
I still feel like an infant blogger – I don’t have a consistent weekly schedule, nor do I know exactly why I’m here. But I know I am the mountain mermaid for a reason, and I am loving the journey of exploration. I’ve been here for two years and I really appreciate when visitors feel moved by my words and images and they share their thoughts with me.
In celebration of life’s beautiful, ordinary moments and the opportunity for new beginnings!
Thank you so much for visiting.
gorgeous and inspiring art Lisa… a long warm vug for the loss of your friend Richard…may his light live on in your celebration. You are a beautiful authentic writer—keep sharing your world.