a good day

Drizzles of rain softly kissing your cheeks as you hurry, huddled in a warm cardigan, from class to class, caring hugs from special people, having conversations with fellow students, holding hands as we walk this road together, sitting on the steps with a friend, staring out across the city spread at our feet below, watching the sun break through the pink-tinged clouds, golden oranges and vibrant yellows painting the grey sky, loving the calm, blue-green ocean, being at peace, sharing a smile with a stranger, working hard in the quiet library, browsing through towering bookshelves, listening to whispers all around, daydreaming on the train ride home, sharing coffee on the couch, wrapped in your arms, more than simply happy, feeling daring and beautiful, invincible, soaring high, laughing and smiling for no reason at all... just because you had a really good, totally ordinary day. 

a moment's reflection

You are the hole in my head 

You are the space in my bed 

You are the silence in between 

What I thought and what I said 

You are the night-time fear 

You are the morning when it's clear... 

You're my head 

You're my heart

 {Florence + The Machine}

I often find myself reflecting on how blessed I am. Truly blessed. Often one gets so caught up in life, the everyday rushings, the swirling of time around us. It does not stop, it waits for no one. And we run and we run to just try and keep up. That is when we must stop, when we must wait, for just a moment, and reflect. The now is not what is really important, it is the future, the eternal future. Perspective.

Looking up from underneath 

Fractured moonlight light on the sea, 

Reflections still look the same to me, 

As before I went under 

And it's peaceful in the deep, 

Cause either way you cannot breathe, 

No need to pray, no need to say 

Now I am under 

And it's breaking over me, 

A thousand miles down to the sea bed, 

I found the place to rest my head. 

And the arms of the ocean are carrying me, 

And all this devotion was rushing over me, 

And the question of heaven, 

for a sinner like me, 

But the arms of the ocean deliver me. 

Never let me go, never let me go...

{Florence + The Machine} 

I am incredibly grateful to have the people that I have surrounding me, supporting me, loving me. I do not want to take them for granted, I want to appreciate them, treasure them, cherish them - like they do for me. It is difficult not to become overwhelmed with it all - especially with the insanity of varsity having started up again - and to forget how blessed I really am. Now, in this very moment, and even better, in my eternal future.

You opened the garden of my heart

"Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of Heaven, blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels."

You taught me to love. You brought colour and joy, laughter and contentment, beauty and security to my life. You have changed me. You have made me grow - through easy, delightful Summers, through hard, harsh Falls, through long, cold Winters, through painful, pruning yet hopeful Springs... 

Here is to spending every season of life with you, the star in my sky. Thank-you for being by my side every moment of every day. Happy Valentines Day angel, I love you, xxx

 

The extraordinary ordinary

I do not know where to begin. It has been so long, and honestly, I have been avoiding this. My midmorning resolve turned into busy afternoon determination, which mellowed into early evening and finally became this late night "I just have to do it" moment. I find that the longer one waits the greater the desire grows but the more difficult it becomes to just begin. Yet the time has come to write once again, to put those fragile, fluttering thoughts, those fading, twinkling memories, my contented summer happenings down, to not forget my last few weeks of vacation. 

(Yes, a list is not appropriately needed! As my mind so wanders...)

1. Feeling my mom's homemade berry sorbet tingle and melt on our tongues, the most luscious shade of ripe reds and plum purple :)
2. Sand - getting everywhere!
3. Feeling the sweat trickle down my back as we walk our puppy around the lake and along the beach. Watching you splash with her in the water, feeling the breeze billowing off the sparkling ocean, ipod pounding in my ears, simply happy. 
4. Devouring book after book - lying in the thick heat on the beach, in the cool of the couch, snuggled up to lazy to move in my bed.
5. My favourite chocolates from you - just because.
6. Discovering "our" beach - going there day after glorious summer day, hearing the excited chatter of the tourists buzzing around us, diving under those brilliantly cold waves, smiling at the locals, feeling content with it all.
7. Mango ice tea quenching my thirst.
8. Family brunches in Kalk-Bay - the croissants making my mouth water! So much laughter, so much love! 
9. Memories captured in photographer by my most amazing person*
10. Champagne bubbles.
11. Getting "the usual" Marcel's frozen yoghurt.
12. Browsing through the vintage boutiques and antique furniture stores, the quirky art galleries and quaint craft stores - possible coveting occurring...
13. Soft kisses- gentle and sweet.
14. Realizations of blessings and thankfulness (overwhelmed!)
15. Sanctification. 
16. Whispering about the future - I am safe and secure in your arms, guarded in your heart, you always consider me first, I am humbled, in awe, overjoyed, forever grateful and will always love you, I promise.
17. Buying beautiful gifts for lovely friends.
18. What would vacation be without series?
19. Having dance class on the beach, jumping in the waves, kicking the water, under sunset pink skies and a heavy, full moon.
20. Driving, windows open, singing along to the music, love being at your side.
21. Making movies - for God's glory!
22. Youth :)
23. Making coffee for my person and rubbing his back while he works so hard. 
24. Frustration, mixed in with a little bit of anger and a whole lot of hurt and resulting loneliness - being left alone, in complete and utter silence is difficult to endure. 
25. Grapes and watermelon and picnics on the beach with your friends. 
26. Not understanding certain people about certain things in certain, very important matters (Can you hear me? Are you listening?) It is so simple (fullstop). 
27. Baking the most decadent brownies, munching my mom's muffins and icing cupcakes with my beautiful, little sister.
28. Quiet moments, prayer and encouragement (what would I do without you?)
29. Change.
30. And everything staying the same :) 
31. Being beyond busy - walking, standing, sitting, waiting in lines for hours to register, bringing out the textbooks, long train rides, organizing my life, feeling the laziness of the holidays drift away and despondency settle in - varsity is around the corner and mind-numbingly difficult work, countless challenges, endless hours, fear at not understanding or being left behind, of just trying to survive... I know what this year entails, I know how hard it will be, I know... and that is what brings a slight melancholy. 
32. Hope and dreams.
33. Bible Signs - every story whisper's His name... 
34. How every ordinary day with you is actually extraordinary! (It is the little things*) 

But looking behind, and seeing what God has so graciously and faithfully accomplished, and how you have carried me through, I know that I have you both with me, by my side, there for me... And so I can look forward, trusting and smiling :) 

(Thank-you will never be enough).