Just Life

Balancing the Light.

tulips on my kitchen counter

These past few days have been such a roller coaster of emotions. In addition to the lows I’m sure y’all are familiar with, my neighbor (who has an aggressive upper renal cancer) was ambulanced back to the emergency room Saturday morning. Thankfully he’s now stable, but we have no idea when he’ll be coming back home. My little neighborhood rallied around a text-message prayer chain Saturday evening … a high for sure.

Sara made it safely to Washington Friday evening and had the lifetime experience of marching there on Saturday. Thanks to Instagram (my only social media outlet other than this blog), I participated vicariously in marches country and world-wide: Port Townsend, Portland, Sacramento, San Jose, Minneapolis, Madison, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, Hartford, Washington, Nashville, London and Paris. To everyone who marched, thank you for participating – and sharing your stories!

And yesterday – for only the second time in the club’s history – the Atlanta Falcons won the NFC Championship. …and they looked pretty darned good doing it. We’ve got a smidgen of hope they might actually win the Super Bowl (which would be a first).

…all of which to say – I really had no idea what to blog about today. Until I read yesterday’s newsletter from Holstee and these words practically jumped off the screen:

All of this is the way I “compose” my life, if you will. The way I balance the dark and the light — because life most certainly has a healthy mixture of both.
~Lea Ciceraro (emphasis mine)

This week I’m going to try my hardest to balance the dark with the light – and to share a few rays of light here.

I bought this bouquet of orange tulips for bookclub (I hosted Thursday evening). There’s just something about orange tulips that makes me smile.  And I especially love them when they’re fully open, almost spent. How about an informal tulip poll – what color’s your favorite and are you a fan of the fully open blooms?
(and also, happy Monday.)

12 thoughts on “Balancing the Light.”

  1. I enjoy the variety of colors of tulips, but the pink shades are my favorites; I like them at all stages of bloom. So glad your daughter made it to Washington. My niece traveled by bus from her college in Appleton, WI and I was so happy she could take part in the march wearing the hat I knit for her-it made me feel like a part of me was there with her! I like the quote you shared about balancing the light and dark, I need to focus on that this week too.

  3. Yellow, hands down is always going to be my favorite! However, having said that, I'd go for bright orange any day of the week, too…it is especially grey here today and a spot f orange tulips would certainly do a lot to brighten up the day! We're going to have a lot of practice balancing "the light and the dark." Thankfully, we have lots of support among us , via (y)our blog/s. Shine on! Thanks.Cheers~

  4. Love the quote and your picture of tulips. Needed on this windy, grey, rainy day. I love the deep, deep red tulips. And the red and yellow ones.

  5. I love tulips of any color but I think pink is my favorite. No, maybe yellow. Or purple. Oh forget it, I can't choose! So, the Super Bowl. Hmmmm. Shall we have a wager or something fun like that? Pats win and you send me something from Georgia, Falcons win and I send you something from Boston?

  6. I'm not sure I can thank you enough for that quote and your post. I've had a tough few days, but so have many, many other people for many varied reasons. When that happens, I tend to get unbalanced far too quickly, but this quote simply reminds me to balance the dark and the light. It's now on my refrigerator along with Obama's hope quote. Thank you for sharing those rays of light and being one yourself!For tulips, I vote creamy pink and closed blossoms!

  7. It'd be hard to beat tulips prettier than these-will be thinking and praying for your neighbor. Creating balance keeps me grounded. Happy cloudy-windy Monday!

  8. Oh, those tulips are such a beautiful and welcome sight! And that orange is such a happy, warm color and I think my favorite color. I don't buy flowers often enough, but there may just be some coming home with me tomorrow. That quote is lovely! And I do appreciate the light you've brought to my day. : )

  9. That top photo is frame worthy! I think I'm a pink tulip girl, pretty opened up. You've got me on a quest at lunch though…those orange tulips are beautiful! Prayers put up for your neighbor, I hope all goes well.

  10. Oh, tulips! You are speaking to the Queen of them – my long-time home town planted more than a million bulbs each fall for the springs Tulip Time Festival. The streets were all lined – and I have to say that my favorites are the ones that are gentle pink and white – I think they are called Parrot Tulips. I love them – they are so beautiful. I also love the red and white ones – tall and stately – I am not sure what they are called but they look like peppermint candies.

  11. I love all colors of tulips as they sing the song of spring! I love to see them drooping slightly in the vase, gracefully arcing their stems. They are beautiful during every step of the opening process, but fully opened their colors show best! Sending good thoughts to your neighborhood and you.

  12. Hi! I just happen to randomly come across your blog post and I am floored that my Holstee piece had such an impact on you! Thank you so much for sharing your story. XO

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