“New Year’s Eve is like every other night. There is no pause in the march of the Universe, no breathless moments of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve month maybe noted. And yet, no one has quite the same thoughts that evening that comes with the coming of darkness on other nights” [Hamilton Wright Mabee]

It is Christmas morning. It is also 14 degrees and it is beyond me why I do not remember “The Oasis” ever being this cold. Maybe my mind only remembers the warmth of this space, a warmth always present even if ever it was into the sub zero temperatures. I see the millions of homes this morning with their fireplaces on, the window panes are already fogged up, a bit of smoke maybe lingering past the Christmas tree. It is early and yet gift wrappers and ribbons are laying everywhere in corners and under the furniture. The Children, always the Children, are fully awake even if it is the only morning throughout the year they are up this early. Their eyes are sparkling, they are mumbling to no end incomprehensible words of joy as the parents are smiling with their baggy eyes from this too early time for them after maybe too much celebration last night. They are stumbling trying to put together some toys they will not read their directions on how to. They might think of the Years past, remembrances on the growth of their Children wondering what happened, how did they get so tall, so big, how is this Miracle of Life is taking place right in front of their eyes.

There is delight, exuberance, a vivacity that almost reaches ecstasy. The Children will be busy for a while even if their favorite breakfast is being now prepared with it’s own smells mixed in with it all. It will however not be a time to eat, the little bodies are just too animated and cheerful to take a break away from the new toys, games, even clothing they cannot wait to wear as already the feel good has taken over. The dogs and cats themselves even are excited. They know it is a day unlike any, they are chasing the wrappers, playing hide and seek with the bows, they are stepping on the gifts, they also have high hopes for a new bone or a new toy to chew on or maybe twirl throwing them up in the air. It is Christmas I now know even if snow here has been absent to remind me of it. A new Friend however did yesterday, a Mother that I met for the first time, a Mother that has also lost her only child, a Son who today sits with Lance and watches us, us on our own steps through our own tribulations of Life through the doors and the passages of the many paths that awaits for us. 

We visited for a while. We had never met. She had questions, I had questions. She thought she would learn from me and discover new facets, find out new aspects of Life as we share a loss we have in common. I thought I would learn also new aspects from her and maybe see clearer new symbols of the present. We both did. Our minds and souls were open to each other’s words as hungry to hear and feel them, as rare it is two sharing the same consequences of a twist of faith, of a card dealt in years past. The present blossom, the fruit bared today was of the same taste for each of us, it’s color and texture so similar, but the branches leading to it have been different as it was in the words expressed that made us learn from each other that there are more than one avenue for us to be on even if the bite will remain identical.

For various of her personal reasons my new Friend’s time spend here was too short, too brief as myself mesmerized by another that actually wear my shoes. But our conversations I know will continue as both with the acquired awareness today present have much to share. It seems so much that I have opened a newly paved and shiny path reaching my “Point of Balance”. This has also resulted in the best Christmas Day spirit I have had in a long, very long time. Many Friends send their wishes on this special day, they have meant so much to me, a day which in recent past was a somber one only waiting for it to pass, today to savor to it’s fullest, specially having been invited for a pot luck lunch~dinner at the near by “Cow Head” Ranch. I have had also these past couple of days the company of my Friend Mary who lives near by Houston, Yes, Spirit’s personal seamstress.

It has been cold, we are in tight quarters and Mary has been a great sport adapting to this environment and dwelling so unlike a house, and yet it is now a cherished Home. It makes me realize how big my own space has been, how much the day lingering with no time, only according to the Sun’s position has been precious to me. The silence has now been broken by another being and at first the question marks have made their ways as to what should I do besides cooking. I am not a great entertainer, too many years past only in parallel keeping company with Mother Nature and Spirit. As I realized I do not have to entertain as her Soul also enjoys the quietness of this space, the company of her Friendship and her own care toward Spirit made these days and this Holiday an enhanced one as the exchange of thoughts and conversations, new to me here, has been a nice addition to the moments passing by as we let them on their own pace and not dictated by ours in any way.

Christmas Day at the “Cowhead Ranch” has been as last year of a special one, as already a day has passed and those filled plates with again too much food and the company of more Friends made it such a great occasion. The Ranch dwellings keep multiplying as Chris, the owner and caretaker, has never stopped and probably will not, adding piece by piece the structures present. I thought the photos would make it a nice little video with bit of country music in the background! Well, next is the coming of a New Year. It is strange as 2010 reminds me of the New Year of 2000, the famous Millennium while at that time in Naples cooking up a storm for what was a special night, special for different reasons I would have now. 10 years has past, hard to believe. More reasons to enjoy the “now moments” as I try for everyone of them coming my way.

And of course, a Christmas very special Sunset was awaiting…

Till next time, you all be well, always, it is our best choice.

Ara & Spirit

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This entry was posted on Saturday, December 26th, 2009 at 11:20 am and is filed under travel, spirituality, pit bull, sidecar, motorcycle, cooking, photography, riding, homeless. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.