November 20, 2012

Thankful...




"Just Be"
Berks County, PA



Drove up to Lancaster County to visit with the padre.  As so often is the case, I never know what to expect once I walk thru the doors of the memory care facility.  The drive up is usually a stressful two hours of anticipation, and yes....often dread.  I am only able to visit with dad for about an hour.  Which is then followed by the two hour trip home.  Stress replaced by extreme sadness and helplessness.

As I was driving home down the turnpike to the strains of Les Mis'  "On My Own", via my playlist for such occasions appropriately entitled "Oh Woe is Me" (because I obviously can never have enough angst or sadness at times like these)...passing sown cornfield, after sown cornfield, after sown cornfield, brown, brown, and more brown...I happened to see something.  AND, even MORE amazing...I happened to notice it without it being too late to safely pull off the side of the road.  AND, even MORE amazing...there was an official emergency pull off with plenty of room so I didn't even have to risk my life getting out of the car on a berm.

And there it was.  A brilliant spectrum of light shining down thru the clouds on the dieing corn field.  Blanketing the sea of brown and whithered.  I stood there for quite some time looking up at the sky and the whole canvas in front of me.  And instead of sadness I felt thankful.  And a little less helpless.  Just like the Grinch (wrong holiday, but ya get my drift), I do believe my heart grew a bit bigger that moment.  Sometimes you have to "Just Be" in the moment to see a gift.

Happy Thanksgiving my friends.  I am going to take a few days off from blogging because I will have a home full of Things and the Better Half, the madre, the siblings and their fams, and of course DOGS.  Yes, I am thankful.

--Kathy

linked to:  Our World TuesdayInspiring PhotographyTuesdays Around the WorldSweet Shot Tuesday52 Weeks of Happiness,, Tones on Tuesday



37 comments:

  1. Beautiful picture. I so admire your ability to find sunshine on a cloudy day. Have I told you lately how much I admire your strength. Happy thanksgiving to you and your beautiful family. I am very thankful to call you my friend!

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    1. Thank you Peg. And I am thankful to call you my friend too :).

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  2. I am so pleased you got to see this sight ( I'm even more pleased you took such a glorious capture to share with us). I know you've got lots to be thankful for but I do want to acknowledge and say I'm genuinely sorry the tough in your life right now because it is indeed that - I'm sorry for all those emotions you are going through especially on those days when you have no choice to face it when you drive the long distance to see your dad, or even on those days when your spirit is simply sad. We don't celebrate thanksgiving in Australia however i certainly wish you a happy one - sounds like your next few days will be busy with all your little/big people under one roof. Oh, and a happy thanksgiving to James dean too - what a year he's had.

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    1. Thank you for your thoughts. And thank you for so consistently visiting my little piece of the blogosphere and commenting so regularly.

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  3. Blessings to you and yours Kathy............Happy Thanksgiving.

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    1. Happy Thanksgiving to you my fellow Blackburn :)

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  4. I get it about the dread, I truly do. The countryside and it's beauty anytime of the year usually saves me from my angst. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, may it be filled with blessings & peace.

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    1. Deanna, I KNOW you can relate to all this. The happiest of Thanksgivings to you and yours.

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  5. So gorgeous. I am so sorry you have to go through this. It reminds me of the emotions I felt when my grandmother was still alive. So hard to know what to expect. That you love him and go to visit it him is getting through, this I know!

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    1. Thank you Tamar. As difficult as this is, I am truly blessed in that I have had the most wonderful dad for 52 years now. I am one of only a few of my friends who can claim that, so I try to count my blessings :) Happy Thanksgiving to you!

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  6. Beautiful photo, even more beautiful words. Every time you write about your dad I am transported back twenty years to my dad's struggle with his memory loss. Thanks for the words and the stirring of my memories.

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    1. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Thank you so much for taking the time to both visit and comment on my blog as often as you do. It is so very appreciated :).

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  7. You have a beautiful way with words...keep writing my friend. Happy thanksgiving to you.
    laurie

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  8. Stunning photo..Happy Thanksgiving!

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  9. It's beautiful you leave the heart light on. Happy Thanksgiving my friend.

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    1. "Leave the heart light on." I love that Kelly! Happy Thanksgiving to you.

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  10. That was the glory of God shining down on you♥ He put everything in place for you to enjoy that moment. It's what you needed. :) Happy, blessed, and loving Thanksgiving to you & the family.

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    1. You know, I"m not an overly religious person...I've always considered myself more "spiritual". BUT...when you see something like this, at a moment when it is really needed...it's hard to deny God's glory. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours :)

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  11. A really beautiful capture. Love the sun's rays through the clouds. Happy Thanksgiving.

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    1. Thank you, and a very Happy Thanksgiving to you.

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  12. Lovely shot and so glad that you got a chance to stop and see this. Beauty does help dilute the sadness of these occassions! Hope you have a wonderful holiday!

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    1. Thank you Jeanne. And I want to thank you for all your lovely comments and also the gorgeous photos you post on your blog. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

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  13. Thank you for taking the time to visit and comment.

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  14. This is so beautiful! Happy Thanksgiving!

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  15. Beautiful! And so poignant with your story. So many complex emotions in there. You are such a strong woman.

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  16. Thanks for sharing, Kathy! And gorgeous picture, love that you captured those rays of light shining down

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  17. What a beautiful sight!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!

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  18. Moments like that aren't often captured either in words or photos, but here you did. God bless you, my friend, and all you're going through.

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  19. Such a lovely capture! And the lighting, WOW!!! Brilliant, Kathy. :)

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  20. Wow.. What an awesome shot. You do have a way with words my friend. I do hope you and your family have a happy Thanksgiving.

    Hugs

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  21. Kathy - have a very Happy Thanksgiving holiday with your family and friends, and animals. Glad you got an instagram from Mother Nature to brighten your day - gorgeous capture.

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