Randoms.....

Heads up, random, reflective & wordy post ahead: I have a friend heading to a funeral today for a beloved Uncle & another friend planning the funeral for her cherished grandma. I know people who are in physical &/or emotional pain, dealing with slight colds or heavier life/health issues that would make one wish it were a simple cold instead. Dear friends are snuggling precious newborns and others are pulling their hair out because after 2 weeks of vacation they are SO ready for school to start again for their kiddos, while others are desperate to get some little sign from the universe as to when it will be their turn to expand their family in some way & be blessed with sleeping babies and chaotic sticky kiddos. I know people tightening their financial belts & preparing for a skinny year while others celebrate their good luck and/or very hardwork with a boon to their bank account. I don't mean for this post to sound sad or down or depressing. I am actually quite happy, at ease & excited for life in general. Just feeling reflective. After a holiday of wonderful excess (gifts & food) I am feeling very fortunate. After a short day of no heat I am acutely aware of just how insanely good we have it, not only to have a warm home but have the means (at the moment!) to write a check to fix the home when it's needed but there were times and will be other times when we just can't. After warm & wonderful visits with family from SF, Switzerland and Oregon, I am reminded of how important family is to me & how even though far away, I can keep these relationships close & current with a bit more intention. I think my theme for this year will be awareness, hopefully action too but overall it will be awareness. I am always sensitive to my surroundings to the point at times I need to turn off my head/bleeding heart but in this case I think there is a difference between being aware and being sensitive and I want to be AWARE. Also to speak my mind or if not spoken, at least know in my bones how I feel about things relating to poverty, guns, mental illness, health & exercise, basic human needs, parenting, etcetera etcetera and not apologize for or explain away my position on such issues, feelings, experiences when asked for my opinion or insight......Over the break I got to experiment with cooking/shopping while thinking about how to create things that were 'clean, free of processed sugars, whole foods'. It was really a challenge and eye opening and so incredibly tasty. Using simple ingredients like butter, sour cream, honey, maple syrup, herbs herbs herbs. Our wonderful holiday with family & new adventures in cooking/eating has stuck with me and I am committed to providing for my family a more balanced & abundant whole foods lifestyle that is SIMPLY delicious, healthy, creative, tasty, real and nourishing. I know this post has veered from one place to another, from poverty to the use of more sour cream but the overall tone for me is to bring things back to the good SIMPLE truth....of being happy, helping others, doing what is right not what is easy, to nourish myself & my family in so many ways, to enjoy life while I am here & hope that I stay as blessed or can view myself as blessed as I am right now, for a long time to come.