The world is on fire, and still I want to live.
Here, there is ice. Sleet fell during the night and now early sun sets the encased branches to sparkling. A neighborhood canopied by tiaras, a festival of light. Treachery on the road perhaps, but just look up! There: unspeakable beauty. I want you to see it.
Every day dishes up contradiction or irony or befuddling complexity. Today I find irony — the sidewalks that have been fastidiously cleared are the most dangerous while the ones where the crunchy snow remains offer secure traction.
Sun makes the branches’ icy sleeves melt and it sounds like rain. Plippety-plop. Can you hear it? Does it do something to your soul to hear it?
Where the road dips down to the school, the field is ringed in a softening mist and though I’ve lived here more than 30 years, it is a novel sight. Funny that. How the ordinary can offer up some kind of miracle. Completely unbidden. Nature’s adornment, weather’s surprise — life still worth living.
It’s Wednesday, March 4, 2026. I think I’ll make butternut squash soup. I’ve got ginger. I’ve got a chicken carcass to make stock. I have a little heavy cream to splash in the bowl and fresh cilantro or parsley to sprinkle on top.
Sounds good, eh?
One of your most beautiful posts ever! So full of hope.
Thanks Ellen. It was such a beautiful walk this morning. In spite of everything.
The panoramic sweep of your video soothed me as I took in the sacred ordinaries that reveal themselves in any season, if we stop and look. The world is on fire and some may say, how naive I am to marvel at fluffy snow mounds, the stark beauty of leafless tree branches, the longing for a taste of your butternut squash soup. I say this is how we live our lives, not shying away from the world on fire but accepting that seasons come and go, full circle and full circle, to me, means that I acknowledge the heavy and the light, the joy and the sorrow, the silly and the serious…one of the serious aspects these days was brought home by my daughter, a mother of a soon to be 17 yr old son. She asked a simple question: if this war continues, what if the draft comes back? Way back when, the draft was for 18-25 yr olds. Although my grandson still has some time before he turns 18, with this regime, intent on global domination, this question is truly serious and sobering…
Thanks Marti. To put out some words and then hear your words back is healing dispensation, for sure.
The draft? Oh god, that is a sobering thought.
Marti~ Serious indeed. sigh.
Yes, that soup sounds really wonderful…..I feel like holding my bowl up to the screen and hoping it gets filled. My son just finished with the snow removal here in Maine….. we have piles melting…but he keeps the drive and walkways clear. In case we need to make an emergency exit.
It is smart to be ready to make an exit. I started clearing off the car but decided to be lazy and let the sun do its work. Everything is very icy and hard to chip off.
Dee~ What a lovely post, so full of light. I appreciated the sound effects video too 🙂 We do just keep doing all we can, in every arena – including our mindset. I felt like this on our long drive.
The plip plop was so loud!
(((Dee
(((Dee))) this is the most beautiful post, your photographs are sublime!
Thank you Mo!