As I’ve mentioned here before, one of the richest memories of my life is how I used to get up at 5:30 in the morning with my dad. It was our time. We’d eat GrapeNuts and tell each other about the miracle(s) we’d seen the day before. I still try to like GrapeNuts and I still try to look for miracles every day.

Finding the miracles has been harder for me lately. I might notice (my word for 2015) lovely people, places, or things, but I’ve allowed circumstances, over which I feel powerless, to cloud my ability to recognize them as miracles. That’s gotta change.

Here’s how I’m going to change it. Yes/And. I completely accept the reality that YES there are many things going on the world, over which I have no control. AND while I continue to attend to what I can, I’m going to focus on the light, the good, the possible, along with the people doing the light, good, and possible.

YES, the divisions, gloom, fear, and darkness will still be around. My focus, however, will not be as glued to it, as it has been lately. I’m going to focus on the power of miracles. When I find myself tempted to dwell in the negative longer than is necessary, I’m going to seek out AND people, places, and things. AND people, places and things are the miracles Daddy and I used to share with each other daily. I’ll share some of them with you, here.

As you read this, I’m heading to or already in New Bern, to prepare for Mom’s High Tea Celebration of Life. I’m ready.  I think. 

It won’t be a formal church service.  It won’t be a regular visitation.  It’ll be like Mom.  It’ll be a drop-in visit with tea, water, snacks and stories about Mom (with some folk slipping-in vodka and tonic, I suspect 💜). I’m trusting she’ll love it. Family and friends, especially my church family and Lee & JD, who generously offered their Home Instead Life Enrichment Center for Mom’s celebration, are making The Plans easy.

Sunday, at 6:05pm,  I’ll be stepping into that new space of After Mom.  After Mari.  After Dad.  wOw! There are moments That New Space will feel lonely.  There will be MORE moments I remember all of you ~ my family and all who love Mom, Mari, Dad, my family and me.

And 

I

am

overwhelmingly

grateFULL.