i dedicate today to softness.

Yesterday involved a visit from my favorite cousin, his wife and their two kids who traveled all the way from Pennsylvania. There were lots of hugs, good conversation, and plenty of reminiscing and catching up. The day ended with time spent with my aunt's horses and big bowls of chili. I love these horses and often feel like their beauty could swallow me whole if I let them.

This morning involves a very soft robe that smells of Lavender Downy, a puppy wiggling her toes in the midsts of her puppy dreams, a little black cat curled in an "O" at my back, a perfectly brewed cup of Kenyan coffee, a window looking out towards a yard full of leaves, and plenty of clouds to make my transition into another day a bit more gentle than usual.

Gentle.

I like that word. Its sound causes me to feel cradled.

My old cat is curled up on the other side of the room--snoring. Louis has nested himself on the back of the couch watching the wind blowing coldly through the trees and down the street. The heat has turned on and I love the warm sound it makes as it pours through the vents.

My mind feels quiet, contemplative. It is a good feeling--one that I will take care of with a long shower and soft music. Today I look forward going within, to painting, and to spending a little bit of time visiting the studio space with M.--to dream, visualize, and make plans.

I often find myself daydreaming about that space and how I will feel once we move in. I imagine magic and possibility. I imagine a space that is just messy enough to be inspiring. I imagine a space that invites me to sit down and get close with myself. I imagine breathing in light-filled air--even when, like today, that light is barely the color of silver clouds.

~