Merry Christmas!

Before the ice is in the pools,

Before the skaters go,

Or any cheek at nightfall

Is tarnished by the snow,

Before the fields have finished,

Before the Christmas tree,

Wonder upon wonder

Will arrive to me!

What we touch the hems of

On a summer's day;

What is only walking

Just a bridge away;

That which sings so, speaks so,

When there 's no one here,--

Will the frock I wept in

Answer me to wear?

Emily Dickinson

I read this poem as one about wonder throughout the year.  It is easy to marvel this time of year, when we fill our worlds with beauty, but hard at other times.  Today will be filled with family and friends, a church service with a full orchestra and choir and beautiful songs, and plenty of happiness.  I want to grab onto that happiness and turn it into joy that'll stay with me all year long.  

Fifteen years after I had to memorize the second chapter of Luke at school, I still remember these words from verse nineteen: "But Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart."  I want to do the same with these holiday moments--treasure them and ponder them within, and hold that joy and wonder all year long.

Have a wonderful holiday, and practice keeping the joy of this season in your heart, always.  

Cabbage Roses at the Shedd Aquarium, visited last week with my mom and sister on our way back from Milwaukee.  It was cold and damp and those flowers were a surprising bit of pastel and softness in the surrounding gray.