The Colors of Hope

“Milk and honey ’til we get our fill, I’ll keep chasing it, I always will. Sooner or later, I swear we’ll make it there. Sooner than later, sooner or later.” ~ Mat Kearney

It was the season of no flowers. The earth had drunk no rain during that sweet summer, and what normally would have been a magnificent garden of beautiful blooms was thirsty, faded foliage. There were no azaleas to be seen. Instead, a gorgeously green, weeping willow tree set the scene for a momentous photo shoot.

There they were on that day of black and white happiness: just kids, seeing the world through those green, untested eyes. They smiled and jumped high into the air, returning to earth about a half second later. That snapshot, captured between jump and land, represented the dreams that were taking flight in their minds. Like Gatsby seeing the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock, those kids were reaching for hope…

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Apricity

The shadow proves the sunshine…” ~ Switchfoot

Apricity. I’ve been seeing this word all over social media the last couple of days. The warmth of the sun in winter. I think it’s safe to say we are all collectively in need of some sunlight. Is it just me or has it been an especially difficult January this year? I’m currently clicking these keys while my therapy light is shining over my shoulder. It does a pretty satisfactory job of moderately elevating my disposition this time of year. (Can I also say how intrigued I have always been by the idea of shadows versus light? Cue the infinite life lessons…and the perplexing logic of a certain revered groundhog.) I definitely believe Blue Monday is a real thing, and it’s just been graaaaaay ever since.

I was talking to a fellow writer friend at work the other day who entertained me with his witty ways and funny stories, and the connection was truly a breath of fresh air on what was indeed a rather manic Monday. (Are they all manic?) In the midst of the humor, he encouraged me to experiment with different tones of written expression, and get back to my former ways of lighthearted diction. And then! I saw “apricity” pop up on Facebook later that day. I was QUITE fascinated by the word.

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Trapped

“A writer is a world trapped inside a person.” ~ Victor Hugo

Those words resonate deep within my soul tonight. It’s relatively uncomplicated for the words to flow, but not so easy to actually open the door to share what’s inside. Will I be understood? A certain level of angst endures. Better to protect my inner world when it feels like the world is closing in. Such is the plight for this introvert. However, I just got out of a trap yoga class, and the novelty of it has placed me in a reflective frame of mind.

Rewind to a certain memory which is often involuntarily on replay…

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