who’s ready for thursday?

in the mornings, especially during this time of year, i try to spend some time alone.  ok. zola usually follows along, as you can see. hehe. it takes a long time for the sun to come up in the mornings, so it’s cozy to sit with the advent lights in the windows & a few candles lit on the table near me. i need this time. i need time to sit, breathe, think, just be. there are many days that i’d love to just remain here all day, to be honest with you. writing, drinking coffee, reading. perhaps i’m just still stuck in that dark season place… wanting to stay home, feeling like i have no energy. anyway, this time in the mornings helps me focus. i begin my day slowly, instead of rushing around like a crazy person. there is already so much stress, so much to do. i can’t let it invade my mornings.

yesterday we had a christmas lunch at work for all of the staff. we decided on a lunch because everyone has so much other stuff already planned. dinners, parties, guests, shopping, and of course, work. so, we decided to go with something simple. we gathered around a long table, with cozy christmas decorations & candles, ate fish soup, cake, & coffee, and enjoyed about 2 hours of an uncrushed, unhurried time of fellowship.

one thing i love about sweden is that you can find yourself surrounded by people from all different countries a lot of the time. at our lunch, there were 5 countries represented: syria, sweden, congo, thailand, & usa. i love that! and all of us were speaking different levels of swedish… sometimes english in order to help one another understand everything. during this meal, i fell somewhere in the middle of ability to speak swedish. secretly, it felt really good to not be the one who had no real head of what was going on/being said. instead, i was the one who was helping to translate things. it really does feel good to have made it to that level. yep.

i am loooooging for snow. last year we had out of control amounts of snow at this time year, and we’d had it for about a month already. but, this year, so far there is only this tiny amount found here & there. it’s not everywhere. most days are still gray with a cold rain & a few wet snowflakes. ugh. i want pretty, white, piles of snow!!! i’m pretty much obsessed with the weather app on my phone these days, checking the 10 day forecast, hoping that snow will show up before christmas. please, weather gods?!

this picture was taken at about 4:00 in the afternoon. understand what i mean by the darkness? the sun is setting behind buildings by 2:00 and it’s gone by 3:00. but i am really thankful for all of the warm lights you can find in and on all the buildings.  it messes with my brain though, at 3:00 i feel like i should be going home & laying in bed by 5:00. but, no. life goes on, work continues., the day is not over at 3:00. it’s crazy & different for me! though, it does give me an opportunity to see christmas lights constantly. and i love me some christmas lights. by now, most windows are all lit up with advent lights, there are outdoor christmas trees everywhere, and people rushing about. it is, in fact, beginning to look a lot like christmas. now, all we need is that snow! (there is some in the forecast for friday, but i’m not holding my breath. so pessimistic of me, i know.)

well, it’s thursday. there’s lots to do. lots to plan. and places to be. i’m not quite ready to get moving yet, so i think i’ll have another cup of coffee & perhaps meditate for a few minutes. if you don’t meditate, i highly recommend it. just sit & breathe. for one minute. think of nothing else. i’m not saying for you to pray (because i rarely pray with words). i’m not suggesting that you think of any higher being (for whatever higher being you may or may not believe in is not outside of you anyway, i believe). just be. get in touch with yourself. soak life in. all that you need, you already have. listen to your heart. breathe and prepare yourself. and then, go… ready to receive all the adventures & opportunities waiting for you, ready to tackle the problems that lay before you. and whenever you need to though out the day, take a minute. close you eyes. and breathe. you are not alone. love lives inside you.

peace on your journey today.