Winter Solstice

I am a state of grace.
I am longer than this longest night,
stronger, brighter, fuller.
I too, renew.
The whole world holds its breath,
just for a moment,
and pauses to see.
Glory.
Be.

Christmas Chaos

Shrieking, laughing, fighting, whining,
Faces alight with excitement.
Sugar high.
Crafts, crafts, crafts.
Reliving childhood,
I create a world of wonder
Out of fresh snow,
Cinnamon smells, and songs.
Cutting, taping, signing, sighing,
Counting down the sleeps.
Sugar crash.
Bake, make, bake.
Placate.
Tears in my eyes as I write one less name on a Christmas card,
one more measure of loved ones lost too soon.
Bittersweetly, I say yes to a pretty please request
for one more cookie,
knowing that the inevitable meltdown
is worth it.
Memories are too precious
not to make.

Wait for it.

“Momma, I shoot you with a foot missile!”
“Ouch!”
“Now I’ve got to give you a kiss!”
“Well, I like that.”
“No, not cause I’m sorry, Silly!”
“Why not? Aren’t you sorry?  You just shot me with a missile.”
“No, not because of that! Because of the foot thing, there’s kisses!”
“The foot thing?”
“Yeah! With the spiky green leaves!”
“Huh?”
“That you stand under, with the garland!”
“Oooooohhhhh! You mean mistletoe!”
“Yeah! You should’ve told me that Christmas comes with missiles! See, now I’ve got shooting feet! Pow, pa pow pow pow!!”