26/1000 Immaculate Conception

Besides being a holiday celebrating my niece's birthday, December 8th is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  I'm right now sitting in the lobby of a Comfort Inn near DFW hoping I can check into my room early and have time for a nap, courtesy of my 2AM wake up.

But today is not about my tired eyes or desperate search for free wifi.

Today is about possibilities.

When that Christmas song "Mary Did You Know" comes on the radio, I shout every single time, YES! SHE DID! and shut off the sound.

She knew because the angel Gabriel told her.

And she said, Yes, anyway.

Which is why she is the coolest woman, ever, bar none.

Hail Mary, full of Grace,

the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,

Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners

now and at the hour of our death.

Amen. 

14-25 Twelve Days of Grace

Due to travels, revelry, and recalcitrant internet connections, I was unable to post for a few days.

Since I last posted, I have slept in Madison,WI, Maple Grove, MN, Phoenix, AZ, Flagstaff, AZ, Chicago, IL, and on all sorts of public transport between those cities.

I have laughed (and cried) with friends, celebrated a birthday and a funeral, worked a few long days, celebrated Advent and cuddled small children and dogs.

I feel like I fit an entire life into the past twelve days.

While in Flagstaff, a friend and I had the chance to catch up with each other for the first time in months, and we both desperately needed it.  She had been in a dark space and is only now starting to come out of it.

I was reminded how another friend once told me that lotuses are symbols of "beauty that grows from dark places" ... the seeds are buried in muck and dark water, and only bloom when they finally reach light and air.

And it strikes me right now how many of my friends are lotuses.