Wish!

I'm leaving bright and early tomorrow morning for the North Country, and so had to go greet the ocean this morning as I'll miss it while I'm home for Christmas. The waves are huge and it's like fireworks watching them, oohing and aahing at the majesty. I do the same thing when it's snowing, so I'm good most anywhere, but they're both their own kind of special. On the way back to get packing, I cut through the canals and crossed the "Wish" bridge, as it had been too dark to really read the wishes on the night of the canal parade.

The idea of putting your best wishes out there to flutter in the wind, in the hopes of them being granted ... I find it lovely. The majority of the hand written wishes were big ideas, like for the world, not the individual and that was nice to see. I'm a big fan of adventures and memories over stuff, so wishing for material things hasn't been my thing for a long time - not when we live in the world we do. Wishes need to be bigger and better ... for the whole humanity picture at this point.

That's why I zeroed in on the wish below ... that "Humanity would realize the beauty they are ... to truly be in their full potential ...  to love freely ... to find the warrior of light within." Man. I couldn't have wished any better myself. Times have gotten so mean and snarky and selfish and greedy ... that it brings you to tears when someone posts a video of someone else doing some sweet, little thing that should just be automatic. We all have it in us to be kind, to be humane ... to be giving of ourselves. There's no material thing out there that can give you the same feeling of kindness without expectation, and knowing that you made someone else feel happier, even if just for a moment. To me, that's what this season is all about. I bet if we all wish for these things together, it will just BE.

I read a great quote from Paul Klee this morning on my word a day page, and it said, "Art should be like a holiday: something to give a (wo)man the opportunity to see things differently, and to change (her) his point of view." Yes. Let us take this opportunity of this beautiful holiday to see things in a new, more humane way, not to just change our point of view, but to change this world. It can be done. With love.

So, I WISH you all a wonderful holiday! I'm going on hiatus for Christmas break back home, but I can't wait to share all of the good stories that are coming in our new year ... in our new world that we wished for. Christmas love to all!

Your Christmas Carol , CJG

O Christmas Palm Tree!

I was out walking around this morning and cut through the canals to check out the bridges in the daytime. The sun was high and warm and humming Christmas carols felt a little out of place, but it still had to be done ... 'tis the Season!

At the other side of one bridge, I saw a great and creative use of dried up palm fronds - someone had made Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on a frond. Love it.

Carrying on down a different canal, there was another family making good use of the fronds. There was a Mrs. Claus type, with blonde braids I could appreciate ...

... And then there was Mr. Claus himself, in a grass rootsy display of natural Christmas decoration  ingenuity. I've never seen palm tree art done like this, and it touched me as a very Venice way of showing off your holiday cheer. Good job, folks!

Christmas decorations make me happy (my name is really Carol for a reason), and I'd love to see which ones all of you love most ... please feel free to share them with me and I'll post for all to see. It all goes by so fast, let's love it all while we can!

Ho Ho Ho!