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bedecking the house is my favorite part of december. when i was a child, we would pick out a tree and dad would pull down the christmas decorations from the rafters in the garage during the week of my birthday. it always felt like these activities were meant especially for me. when we were finished i was overwhelmed by the beauty of the house and there were stirrings of things to come when i would wonder, why can't the house always be this festive?
it's no wonder i feel spiritually connected to illumination and the scent of the forest.
over here the tree is up and lit and holds one hundred vintage shiny brites. kwan yin has been goldened and festooned with balsam fir and stars and bells and feathers. there are tiny christmas altars scattered about. the spirit and lightness is incredibly grounding.
there is deep gratitude for this sense of comfort and warmth and ease. that there is no need for vigilance or over-preparing or making things busy brings unparalleled permission to rest with both eyes shut. i am once again reminded that beauty and faith exist in the everyday, in the ordinary.
grace softly scents the entire house.
"grace isn't about having a second chance; grace is having so many chances that you could use them
through all eternity and never come up empty. it's when you finally realize that the other shoe isn't going to drop, ever."
-shauna niequist, bittersweet: thoughts on change, grace and learning the hard way
