Hi everyone! Yeah, my blogging lately has been pretty much nil. Last week was super tough work-wise, and so when I am not at work, I stay as far from the computer as possible. Since this is supposed to be a smile, I’ll leave that until later :)
Actually, this is going to be a pretty short smile, though I may have a mid-week coffee-share style chat later in the day or tomorrow to fill in the blanks. I’m also trying to keep this down to just one simple idea instead of a bunch of them, and so I will say “Christmas”. I know not everyone celebrates, which is fine. And compared to those that do, mine was very, very low key. I’ll also admit that in the lead up to the holiday I was not as much “into the spirit of things” the way people are supposed to be. Perhaps work? Perhaps. And it was an odd day of freezing rain all day. I finally made it out for a walk late, and I still felt I was taking mine (and the dogs) life into my hands to walk over that super slick surface, even though it was much better than earlier attempts.
Do I sound negative? Sorry, that is not my intention on this little scene setting. The big thing is despite all of that, there is still that holiday feeling. Perhaps it was best shown in a group of friends and neighbors watching the sun set on the shortest day of the year and drinking a champagne toast at exactly astronomical “sunset” to celebrate the coming of light.
And that is exactly what almost all of those winter solstice holidays and celebrations are about, even when “Light” is a metaphor or symbol. The idea and feeling that comes with it, are as old as mankind.
The mornings and evenings seem just as dark as ever, and I know that the deep winter has just begun, and yet there is always the feeling of a fresh new start, a turning of the corner, which, of course, culminates on the New Year.
So that is my smile for the week, Christmas.
What made you smile?
(A reminder – There will not be a Smile Recap post next week).
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Come on, I’m sure you smiled at least once last week. Why don’t you share it? I hope you can join in!
Here is list of “rules” and guiding ideas. If you don’t have time to read it right now, just remember that this is an exercise to spread positivity. Don’t smile about the misfortune of others. Don’t smile in a way to excludes others. Make sure a 12 year old can read it.
To join in, write a post to share your smile and then leave a comment on this post with a link to your smile. Or, if you prefer, do a pingback to this post (pingback = have a link from your post to this one) (Note – pingbacks have been very inconsistent – please leave a comment :) ). You can post any time until next Sunday evening (to be simple, I will say midnight GMT, which is 7 PM Sunday for me). Note – I am no longer compiling the Smiles into a Recap post. I’ll try to get the new smile out between 7 and 8:30 Eastern Time.
Trent's World (the Blog) 
I had to give up punishing myself to the blogging schedule but hoping to be back on track from today – YAY!!! 🤪
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I know what you mean! I have been down to just doing the smile posts for the last few weeks. I’m going to try to get closer to “normal” coming up.
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Merry Christmas, Trent. I’m glad you got some meaning in the celebrations. My own family celebrations sort of straddle the standard Christmas events and the celebration of the solstice. I rather like celebrating the return to light.
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Merry Christmas, Robyn. I do like celebrating the solstice. It’s more universal. I do like the “peace on Earth, goodwill to Man (human)” message from Christmas, but it is too often just words. I hope you had a good new year.
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My smile for the week was getting to sing my fave Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve at church…. annnd actually hitting the high notes perfectly! “O Holy Night” is a difficult one if you can’t breathe. This year for a change, I wasn’t sick! I guess that’s 2 smiles. Happy New Year, Trent.
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There has been too much sickness the last couple of years, so I’m glad you felt well enough to hit those high notes :) Did you have a solo? I’m used to that being a tenor song and usually in a key that puts it pretty much in my range, though I’ve never really done more than sing along to recordings so can’t say if I could actually do it if I had to really sing…
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No solo this time, though it felt like it. We had a very small gathering of about 20 for that service. I’m sure the earlier service with the little ones was packed though. Tenor, you say, I always thought it was a soprano piece. Well, tenor is like soprano, but for men. :)
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There is an oddness about not feeling Christmassy when the season calls for it. Saber opening of the champagne would have been so fun. Celebrating solstice sounds beautiful.
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I don’t know why I had a hard time getting into the spirit, but the sabering was fun – actually, it is so easy it seems like magic – the celebration was an impromptu thing from on of my friends, and just what the doctor ordered :)
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My actual smile was that hubby and son played a board game for Christmas -after many many years:) And of course I forgot to take a pic of it. But there is still a smile on my post, which is the bench:) https://livingbetweentworealms.wordpress.com/2021/12/25/around-the-corner
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My brother’s family is at my parents tonight – when I called, they were all playing a board game… I’ll be by in a few
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I totally understand that not holiday mood. It’s been a tough holiday season for me emotionally. Not sure why exactly, maybe just the neg atmosphere in the news (which I try to stay away from these days) and then I was behind on buying gifts a bit, work wasn’t crazy but still I work. It’s raining outside, and we have been getting a lot of rain. We need rain but it’s a double edge sword cuz it’s a muddy mess at the barn. Sheesh, I’m smiling through it all the best I can. Sorry I haven’t joined in with my smile posts lately. My blogging has been way down too. Looking forward to 2022!! Have a wonderful New Year and give all those kitties and doggies there a big pat from us here! 🥰🐴🤠🐾
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2021 was supped to be the year of getting back to normal, and this end is just… yep, it can dampen the holiday spirit as much as a day of freezing rain on my coast or historic storms on yours… lol, yep ,bright and cheerful here ;) Despite not being as much in the spirit as you’d like hope your holidays are goign well and that you have a great New Year :)
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Happy Holidays, Trent! The Winter solstice is the best time of the year. xx Michael
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Thanks, Michael! I’m more of a Halloween person, bu do enjoy winter solstice. Happy holidays!
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Reblogged this on OPENED HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Sounds like a lovely way to celebrate our march toward spring!
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It was, and the little celebration was made funner by “sabering” open the champagne (using a saber to slice the bottle open…). My friend does it all of the time, but this was the first time I did the “honors”.
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Well THAT’S cool!
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Happy Holidays, Trent :)
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Thanks, Lady Lee. Happy Holidays :)
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