Feliz Navidad

I was sifting through the big bowl of Christmas cards from family and friends at my parents house yesterday. I came across a modest postcard  from our friends with a poem on it. It resonated with me. Not the part about snow everywhere, because there’s no snow in Seattle this year. But, the part about feeling grateful…and happy. I am. So very much. I hope you are too.

Merry Christmas.

Everywhere, everywhere, snow sifting down,
a world becoming white, no more sounds,
no longer possible to find the heart of the day,
the sun is gone, the sky is nowhere, and of all
I wanted in life – so be it – whatever it is
that brought me here, chance, fortune, whatever
blessing each flake of snow is the hint of, I am
grateful, I bear witness, I hold out my arms,
palms up, I know it is impossible to hold
for long what we love of the world, but look
at me, is it foolish, shameful, arrogant to say this,
see how the snow drifts down, look how happy
I am.

- “Manna” by Joseph Stroud