I spaced out and totally forgot our SJT last week. I didn't even realize that the the first Thursday of the month had passed, but thanks to our friend Margaret, here we are, one week late. I selected Celebrations as my theme for June, probably because June is my birthday month. But celebrating feels hard right now. I like that when we got together via email (thanks, Margaret!), someone suggested we write about small celebrations.
"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalms 118:24)
In no particular order, here are some recent celebrations (both large and small):
June 1 marked the end of my quarantine from a mild case of Covid!
Our rental has air conditioning. My family laughed when I mentioned that it was something I was looking for in a rental. It's a rarity in the Pacific NW and no small thing to celebrate.
I've been so busy saying goodbye to all my flowering plants at home (we've lived here 25 years), that I hadn't even looked around the yard at our rental, soon-to-be home.
And these rhododendrons in the front yard.
This deer who grazed beside me on Tuesday's walk
while I walked slowly and snapped photos.
"She didn't hurry./ She wasn't afraid.
I saw her eyes/ and she saw/ mine.
That look/ held us/ together."
(I'm In Charge of Celebrations by Byrd Baylor)
Our new place is walking distance from a state park.
A Wednesday evening spent with a favorite group of friends, our book club. And yes, I'll be traveling 30 minutes to be together with these ladies once a month. We've headed for our 25th anniversary year soon.
I never tire of celebrating life with the grands, an ever present comfort (whether in person, by Zoom, or by photos snapped and sent to me).
Your celebrations are just right. Yellow door! Yellow is my summer color of choice. And those grands are so adorable. I have two links. The first is a poem I wrote years ago about a doe encounter. https://reflectionsontheteche.com/2015/06/19/i-am-a-watcher/
ReplyDeleteThis is my SJT post: https://reflectionsontheteche.com/2022/06/09/spiritual-journey-thursday-celebrations/
Thanks for hosting! Here's my post: https://thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com/2022/06/spiritual-journey-thursday-celebration.html
ReplyDeleteWhat joy of words and images...beautiful grandchildren and hooray for air conditioning!
ReplyDeletehttps://awordedgewiselindamitchell.blogspot.com/2022/06/sjt-june-little-thing.html
I have been in a bit of a funk, but writing this post brought me a small smile. Tbanks for hosting, and thanks for sharing those beautiful children's smiles and peaceful, colorful nature photos with us! http://horizon51.blogspot.com/2022/06/spiritual-journey-thursday-celebrating.html?m=1
ReplyDeleteRamona, these are very special celebrations! I love the photos of the grandkids so much. My thoughts on celebration had me thinking of something special that happened earlier in the week;
ReplyDeletehere's my post:
https://maureenyoungingram.blogspot.com/2022/06/celebrations-and-hope.html
Ramona, I am offering my post at https://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2022/06/celebrating-small-things.html. It is a combo SJT and Poetry Friday. I really love your photo gallery of your celebrations, especially the family photos that are adorable and full of smiles. Being with the grands is a wonderful way to celebrate life and now you will be closer to them. Hooray! I have the girls for at least part of the weekend staring bright and early tomorrow and I am trying to heal from the eye surgery.
ReplyDeleteLove the pics of you grandbabies, who sure are growing! Didn't know you were moving...love the yellow door. We have rhododendrons in our yard, but they are done blooming. Happy birthday month! xo
ReplyDeleteRamona, so many things to celebrate! I am smiling about the air conditioning because here in the humid southeast, it's an absolute godsend. I don't know how generations before AC endured here. I rejoice at your overcoming COVID - it's been rampant here as well. Many of my colleagues were sick in these last weeks of school. And those photos - stunning flowers, that deer... so beautiful, as are those grandchildren. Celebrations, indeed. Here's hoping that all goes well with the moving and thank you for hosting - I am late in finishing my post, but here it is, veering a bit off the theme but still along the spiritual journey path...
ReplyDeletehttps://litbitsandpieces.com/2022/06/09/spiritual-journey-celebrating-small-things/