Resumption

 It is the second Sunday of the New Year.  The sun shone today.  We continue to have mild weather today and there is no lost irony in that more snow fell in Texas today than in Maine.   Climate change and the lack of rain in the summer and snow now were one of the topics that we talked about in our weekly UU Houlton Coffee Chat.  I have for several months spent most of my Sunday mornings with my UU community.  We have informally provided support, connection, humor, a song or two and some good tips!  There is also a YouTube UUHoulton Service

That was started a little while back.  First in the Church Parlor and now in a sweet room in the basement, with a few shows at Rev Dave's cabin.  I have come to these chats angry about the response to the coronavirus, about those who won't wear a mask, about the consequences of these failures.   I have come fearful and feeling alone.   I have come filled with  conflict.   I am grateful to have this  community when less than a one and one-half year ago this small but vital community embraced me.  And now they are my Sunday morning link.  

I watch the UUHoulton Service (it is very abridged about 30 minutes - but packed with good messages, ritual and hope) and  then shortly after we get together for our zoom chat.

I hear from many of my friends that they have some kind of group that they regularly connect with.   It is one of the good "screen" activities that have emerged from this all.

So why are you looking at holiday decorations?  I did not  

put up anything except the wreaths on my outside doors before December 23rd.  I then realized that I wanted the lights and I lugged up my bins filled with decorations.  I pulled out few of my favorites.   I put lights around the entry from the living room to the dining room.   I hung up a evergreen wreath and put colored lights on it as a replacement for a tree.  

I had brought home a bouquet of flowers from the Millinocket Floral Shop earlier in the week.  It felt fun and festive and I was glad that I had allowed myself the twinkling lights and a little holiday spirit.  I have often thought that you need the lights of Christmas and have kept them up long into the new year.   

I am doing that again this year.  I have thought I might even put up a few more strands of lights.   I have both windows in the dining room twinkling.  There is wreath hanging with a candle in my living room.  The front porch has a really funny

and precious "vintage travel trailer" that lights up with a tree attached to the roof!  It is on a timer and from 3 pm until 11 pm every night the trailer twinkles for everyone on or coming down my street. 

So here I am lights twinkling.  I made some wild rice porridge this morning and some potato soup this afternoon.   I took a long nap.   I am happy that there is a women's basketball game on the TV.  I am rooting for South Carolina #5 they are playing Kentucky #10.  So many games have not been able to be played, and I am very ambivalent about the entire thing - and I love watching these women play.  

 Twinkling lights,  a funny snow block woman with a rainbow hat and women's basketball.  I'll  take it.  A little salve to help withstand the continued horror of the rampage and the ongoing aftermath.

Let there be light, even small many colored ones.  Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.