holy can be found in the strangest places...

one of the best things i've done in the past year
is hang up that lighted star in my back yard.

if you were with me back in november,
you might recall i hung up a star outside in honor of someone
i loved who passed.

it's battery operated and lights up the same time every nite
and stays lit for hours. then turns itself off.

well, i cannot even begin to express the amount of times
i have seen that thing glowin' in the dark and been reminded
of the gift of life!

how can someone see that every nite and yet still forget
it's there and be surprised and delighted each time?
i have no idea, but that would be me!

i moved it several times, finally settling on hanging it from
a pine branch that i can see from my kitchen window.
i debated as i have to lean way far over to see it from my
office window....and that's kinda where i thought i wanted
to see it from. but i tried it in this other spot anyway,
and that's where it's been.

turns out perfect because when i walk in and out of my house,
i see it right thru the window. when i walk out back, i walk
right under it, and it feels so significant - i know it sounds crazy,
but it almost feels holy when i stand under it.  when i eat dinner
i see it. and when i got to bed i see it.

and i cannot see that thing without stopping and taking a breath.
i always think of the person i lost. every single time. it's in a warm
kinda way that feels good. and life for me gets put in perspective
every time i see that glow.

which is kinda helpful in those times that are less than happy and fun.

last nite i stopped and just looked at it.
glowing there in the dark.
i stood there with it a few moments and thought about how hanging
that was one of the best things i've ever done.

i think it'll stay up for another month, maybe two...when the light starts
changing again -but then it'll get packed away to pull out again for the
anniversary of that sad sad day we lost her.

i'm thinking this might be a cool remembering gift to give to people.
it certainly has affected me.
i think softened me a bit too in a place i needed softening....

all from a plastic star with a battery attached to it.
go figure.