wishing you were here
those kisses you sent, i found them wandering around the house. they were acting a little lost, not knowing exactly where i was.
i was busy upstairs. but now we are all having tea and talking about you, and wishing you were here.
and they imparted all you intended. they did well.
one more thing: i have see you at your best and at your worst; still you are always welcome near me.
-hafiz
happy valentine’s day from the powerdrivers to you. xoxo
—Today, a poem by Mary Oliver in A Thousand Mornings
a resolution prayer for myself this year, 2014. to find –amidst the deadlines and errands and active toddlers and helpless newborns and obligations and hobbies and beautiful hullabaloos that happen with life– quiet and space to be. to set aside the lists and must-completes and intentionally seek out the what-do-i-GET-to-dos with this one wondrous and blessed life and family and community.
from myself, and jp, and ramona, we say namaste and peace and love to you in this hopeful new year.
the nature of living and loving is the act of reciprocity. as women, we are told that to be the guest is to receive. we are told that to be the host is to give. but what it if it is the reverse? what if it is the guest who gives to the host and it is the host who receives from the guest each time she sets her table to welcome and feed those she loves? to be the guest and the host simultaneously is to imagine a mutual exchange of gifts predicated on respect and joy. if we could adopt this truth, perhaps we as women would be less likely to become martyrs.
what are we setting the table for? transformation.
||terry tempest williams, when women were birds, page 211||
it is not easily in my nature to receive so much from hosting — but this is something i earnestly and genuinely want to approach with a different, more generous heart. even so, i am so very much looking forward to welcoming dear friends into our home tonight for a christmas eve feast.
may this special eve and holy day tomorrow overwhelm you with joy and love (rather than stress and resentment as can often happen with holidays). may you be nourished by meaningful time with family and friends, whether you are breaking bread at their table or yours.
god jul and peace unto you.
taking a cue from my mother’s sense of heritage, we’ve decorated the house this year with swedish-inspired decorations. red, black, white, wood, and lots of candles. it’s not a definitive scandinavian decor, but it feels right: simple, and classic, and fun. festive and sacred. my father made the wood ornament tree for me, i’ve adopted my mother-in-laws tradition of advent activities, and my family -over the past couple of years- has bestowed on me some beautiful nativity scenes to call my own. so though this year the powerdrivers are sticking closer to home to intentionally focus on what christmas looks like for the three of us (and next year for the four of us!) we remain loyal to the traditions that made christmas a very special holy day for both jp and me when growing up.
what does your family do to make your home feel special for christmas?
- advent calendar
- hand & cloth stockings
- DIY tree garland
- swedish decorations (ornaments, sta lucia tree topper, black and wood candelabra)
welcome
