Just a short note today :) I took this picture the other day at sunset. I missed the solstice – this is Dec 22, but it was pretty close to the shortest day of the year. For some reason the picture is much more colorful than reality, which is both good and bad. There is a special quality to the air on these short days, a quality that cannot be described in words, and the scene out of my kitchen window was so beautiful. The phone photo captures a little of it, but doesn’t have that crisp clarity, that ethereal beauty that can only be seen this time of year.
I typically think of the period from Christmas Eve until New Year’s Eve as the holiday, and this year that aligns so well with Hanukkah. The celebration of the holidays go back to pagan times and before. It is the return of light, it is hope for the distant but coming Spring. For all, in one fashion or another, it is a celebration of light at the darkest time. That orange light on the (almost) shortest day of the year in the picture at the top is not the light of despair but that of hope.
Whatever you believe or celebrate, let us look forward from today in hope for a bright future. May the darkness of hate recede and the light of compassion be kindled in every heart.
That is my smile today, hope born in light :)
What made you smile this week?
If you haven’t seen it, here is a little background to The Weekly Smile as well as some quick guidelines.
So, what made you smile this week? Write about it and post on the link-up (or click the little blue frog below). While you’re there, read what everyone else is smiling about! And come back to it later, if last week is any indication new smiles will be added daily!
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Note – the weekly smile runs Wednesday Morning to Wednesday morning. I post in the morning (Eastern US) and put up the link usually between 7 and 8 AM EST. I also try to post on Sunday as a reminder. People can and do join throughout the week.
Weekly Smile #WeeklySmile
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What a great catch, especially for one not being your hoped for ideal. I am definitely a fan of unexpected triumph. And yes, an unexpected smile… thanks for that, Trent.
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Thanks Robyn! I hope the holidays are going well for you and that you have plenty to smile about :)
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Beautiful photo. Funny that you say it has more colour than the reality. It is so often the opposite.
I went for a swim in the ocean at 6pm yesterday which I found restorative after an emotionally difficult day. Definitely made me smile. :)
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“More colour” might not be quite right either – it was “less saturated”, and there were colours that my camera can’t capture and a transparency to the sky that can never be captured…
A Christmas swim is a big smile. Ah, to be on the opposite side of the world where things are on their heads ;) At least the climate is.
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This is a beautiful shot Trent.
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Thanks
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Une photo magnifique!… had to add some exotic comment :-)
What brought me a smile was when I transplanted a young peach tree with my friend Alan. I had been wanting to do that for a long time. You can’t move trees about any time of the year. This week was perfect timing and the weather being mild over here (in France) I’m sure my young peach tree smiled too!
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Merci beaucoup! It was a beautiful evening…
I hope the little peach tree likes its new home. A good smile :)
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Eloquent expression that brought a smile. : )
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And that comment brought me a smile :)
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