Happy Winter Solstice

I can't believe it. There were so many various events around town last night pertaining to the Winter Solstice and I chose to just stay in all warm and cozy. I had PLANNED to go out and join in a couple of lantern processions, which would have been so beautiful and then there were dancing venues galore...........all of which I love to do.........but I just chose to stay in. And on top of that I was even just sitting in the quiet - reading. Now that is not such a weird thing to do as things go, but for me to not even turn on the radio or listen to some tunes is definitely not my normal way to be. I know that the main reason that I chose to stay in was that it was so friggin cold out there. All I wanted to do was get out of my wet clothes and put my warm fuzzies on and curl up on the couch with a blankey. I didn't feel sick at all, just cold and the thought of heading out there once again just wasn't calling to me. A new friend of mine came all the way down here to try to convince me to come out and play but I just could not. I hope he had fun...weak little grin.

Even now as I sit here typing, I did not turn on the radio. And I ALWAYS put "noise" on in the background. Always have. I was just never comfortable with the silence. But here I sit in silence. Just listening to the seagulls and crows as they sing their rather bizarre songs back and forth. Well, maybe not quite "songs" but they certainly do communicate constantly. But I am thinking of what has occurred for me to NOT have to be bombarded by noise.

When I was growing up, the T.V. was always on. I grew up in the 50's and 60's and the T.V. was the BIG deal back then. It was always on even if no one was watching it. I remember a few times going into the living room and noticing that no one was watching it so I simply turned it off. WHOA.............not a good thing. My Dad would come roaring down the hall or wherever he happened to be and go nuts. "Who said you could turn that off?" I would try to explain that no one was even in the room nor did anyone seem to be anywhere in the vicinity of it but to no avail. On it would go again and off he would go back into his office. I used to think that maybe it would be better to have a t.v. in his office but back then, one t.v. in the house was the norm.

Hadn't thought of that in a long time.

But enough of t.v. and noise. I AM going to listen to some BEAUTIFUL noise tonight at a church in town. It is an event that occurs yearly called Chanting in the Round. It will be amazing and I am really looking forward to it. There is this orchestra called the Mantra Vani Orchestra and the evening will be filled with Chanting and Sacred Songs with an orchestra made up these amazing instruments and the voices..............AH, so beautiful. And it will be INSIDE so I won't have to worry about freezing this evening.

I find that I enjoy celebrating Solstice more than Christmas....or at least what Christmas means to so many. I am always amazed at the number of events that people go to at this time of year. I have not been very social the past couple of years and the people that I tend to associate with do not seem to be into inviting others into their realm. So a solitary time of year it is for me. And along with the silence that I am getting comfortable with, the solitary being that I AM is feeling quite content with her solitude.

I have the ocean and the park to visit and these seem to sustain me these days. I do have people that I can spend time with but, for some odd reason, I am just not into spending time with others simply to be with others. Do you know what I mean?

I know that I am preparing myself for the New Year and the task that I have before me entails that I am on my own - focussing. Not constantly looking outside myself for satisfaction or distractions to keep my away from ME. The writer in me has told me that SHE is ready to embark on the next part of her life and as we all know, the writer's world is a solitary one. She needs silence to be able to concentrate. She needs solitude to sit and create. And SHE is ME. And SHE/ME is finallly ready. Feels good.

So now I am going to go out into the rain - at least we don't have snow in my part of the city yet. I have to go and visit with my friends cat and let her know she is still loved as her Mommy is off basking in the sun and surf on Oahu.

Wishing you all a very good day on this Saturday before Christmas

Blessings to you all