What I wish For You Today

In the Congo, the word is "Ubuntu." Meaning to include all those who are now living, who have lived and left us, who are marginally living, and who have yet to join us. People, skies, rocks, trees and living things.

It's that simple. This Christmas, I wish you joy.

The outrageous act of the experience; the

thoughtful act of the recognition of its great

and small footprints through lives and hearts.

The rebellious act of living joy when others

tell you that you should feel anything but,

because look at what a terrible place this

world became, and you turn the page from

the story of the man who threw his son from

52 stories and then, himself- not because

you do not care, but rather because you do;

and you walk outside and take a deep breath

and let the night sky replace horror with

wonder, and what was lost becomes found

when you connect. And you find who you

are when you stop being afraid to feel the

incredible beauty in a dancer, a nautilus,

someone else's faith kneeling at temple, a

simple bird chorus at dawn; the last breath

of an old man's sun setting in life, and you.

You choose to live, here, now, every moment

magical, electrical. Awake. The divine comes

down from mountain tops and has breakfast

and you, lucky you- you pour the milk today.

All the lost, the lonely, and those who cried

themselves to sleep last night- you can bear

it because when you saw the frost this morning

on a dried flower, you were filled to bursting

with the clarity of ice crystals and swan down,

and you remembered being held before there

were arms to hold you, and you let someone

hold you again; you stopped fearing for once

they would be taken and just let yourself

BE held, really held. And when that calm

reaches the inner place in your heart, the

place we all have where we closed down

from fear and pain and never living up to

the expectations we outlined in crayon of

who we would be; when that feeling breaks

free, let it. Let it run, flow, leap, dance.

That is what I wish for you today, the joy of

living without fear of what comes next; the

taking of the small moment and making it big.

Little footsteps echoing quietly in big halls

of so many books we cannot read them all

in one life- but via the act of opening, we

catch glimpses of all other possibilities

and today it is possible that someone's God

really will sit down at your table and ask

you to pass the butter; will turn your water

into wine. But the key is you- you have to be

present to witness all acts of grace. And that

is what I wish for you, starting today. That

past, present and future converge; the

union of living and life and the simplicity

of joy in all that you are doing at the very

moment of taking time to breathe it in.

Reviews

[Horizon K.]

... I wish you joy.
The outrageous act of the experience...
Sigh... Such lovely wishes... I am happy in my natural state, but reading this makes me feel sad, reminds me that for so many, happiness is something so seemingly unattainable, so far away... how much is biology and how much of it is experience, and how much is experience shaping biology, I wonder... But whatever your state, we need these things, these crystals and temples and dancers, and eyes and heart open to see and appreciate all of these wondrous beauties of life. I am always looking forward to pieces from you Marie, digging deep and real... Merry Christmas my friend, I hope you and all of your loves can feel these wonders you wish for, today and always...

[Marie Anzalone]

Horizon, dear friend. :-) So appreciative that you have not left me out there during my stay on the other side.

I wonder if happiness is not soemthign we terribly over-rate? Having plumbed the seasonless world of depression, I think I would find level emotions and forced cheerfulness even more sinister. The opposite of depression is vitality and the ability to experience real emotions, in real time. The hardest to define for so many, I think, is joy. I have talked to so many who cannot define what it feels like to them. How they recognize it. I think the main difference between those who make it and those who don't is that the ones who do, never lose the memory or desire for joy. They let it coem through, even in small acts, even on the worst days.

I know now that I could never fully commit to someone who was not willing to go to those heights with me.

[Horizon K.]

Happiness, joy, can be complex... How I recognize this in myself today is when I am walking down the street, my mind wandering along the lines and casting off from whatever I am seeing, and I realize that I am smiling...
But you are right about complacency and stillness having its own kind of danger...
I'm glad you would commit to nothing less than one who wants and is able to take on these journeys with you.

[Travis Gibson (poetic h..]

Wow... this is impressively optimistic and motivational. So many lines of light that could lift the darkest day. Excellent write!

[Marie Anzalone]

thank you, poetic, for your review and kind words. I like ot delve emotions in my writes- I am glad the joy in this one, spoke so loudly to you- as that was exactly the intended effect. blessings on your day!

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you... and blessings to you also.

[Larry Dyson]

Lovely ,,I love your messages to everyone!

[Marie Anzalone]

Thanks, Larrry!

[An owl on the moon]

You breathe life so deeply, and exhale the divine essence in your words... your soul on fire... your heart ever longing to love and light the world. This is so beautifully profound in every way.

[Marie Anzalone]

thank you, Craig, and Happy New Year to you and yours! may it bring every joy your heart can hold.

[Emily B]

Yes, the universe is shifting and there are miracles waiting and i feel so very blessed to be alive to read words like these. Te and.11

[Marie Anzalone]

may belssings abound for you today, Emily

[Georgia Gypsy]

I too wish you joy, and kindness, and beauty, all the wonder your senses can imagine and process in each precious moment of this existence we call life. Love, peace, and good will to all.
Great piece of writing genius!!
GG

[Marie Anzalone]

Thanks, Georgia! I accept your wishes with my whole heart. Here's to a new year that has what we both need most and even includes some time for growth instead of merely survival.