A Splash of Color on a Backdrop of Gray

My dad has always been a champion of teaching all of us kids the value of stopping to smell the roses.  He used to take me to school, and on mornings when the mountains would tempt us just by being so beautiful and close, he would say, "Let's just cancel today, and go fishing."  We never did, because of the work ethic both of my parents so strongly possessed.  But, the fantasy alone was nice.  Canceling the day, taking a left turn instead of a right, and heading on up to the mountains, instead of school.

I have always had a strong sense of fantasy and whimsy, and I have drawn upon it often in the course of my life.  There have been the mundane days, when rather than view my to-do list in shades of gray, I'd choose to view things with color.

Take yesterday, for example.  I woke up feeling, well, kind of gray.  My head hurt a little.  I lacked motivation.  There was a thick marine layer outside, so even the morning itself was gray.  I got Hugo off to work, and Danielle, Abi, and Lee off to school.  Adam didn't have class, and he came into my room and asked me to ride bikes with him.  Off the cuff, my answer was a quick no.  I had things to do.  Lots of things to do.  The problem was, though, that everything I had to do was gray, though, just like my mood.

I told Adam I'd be ready in 15 minutes.  I got a load of laundry in the washer to be working for me while I rode, and I put a few things away that were out in the kitchen.  I got my exercise clothes on, my Nike's tied, and we were off.  Immediate transformation ensued, in the colors within my mind.  Gray turned vibrant, as soon as we took off.

I was able to enjoy things deeply.  Simple things like the deeply fragrant perfume of orange blossoms.  So, the citrus trees are blooming, causing our noses to run a little more, and causing our heads to hurt a little more, but who cares...when the smell of those blossoms fills the air the way it does.

It was a smell that took me back to my childhood town of Grand Terrace, and all of her groves of orange trees.

Adam and I rode to The Village in Glendora, and we had lunch.  I sat across from my boy, so proud of him, and so enjoying the moment.  I soaked him all in, hanging on every word, as he shared his mind and heart with me.  I so enjoyed the moment.

Yes, it has served me well to look for color on the gray, mundane days.  I tend to go to bed with a smile.

Looking for color is a discipline I have to exercise.  The last few months have been kind of challenging on various levels.  Things have seemed kind of gray a lot lately, so in a quest to trudge on through, I have enjoyed simple things deeply.  Let me share some snapshots of captured joy:

Hugo's parents, being serenaded at their 50th Wedding Anniversary Party

Hugo's sisters, at his sister Elsa's Bridal Shower

Having a Beach Date with Hugo, feeding the seal gulls (the pigeons took over), and walking the pier, where we watched a local fisherman catch a stingray (it got away, it got away...I was never so happy.  I have an inner PETA activist residing within me.  It got away...)   :)

Getting to meet Evan James Tisor for the first time.  My brother Gregg, his wife Jorden, and their two little boys, Asher and Evan, visited California from Minnesota, and we got to drink them all in. 

I took this picture myself, as I had Evan in a modified Football Hold.  It was the first time I had ever gotten to see him cry.  I loooovvvveeeedddd his cry face!!!  Just look at him!!

Asher turns 2 in April so we got to celebrate his birthday early while they were here.  We met up at my sister Lori's house a few days before the party to make Mickey Mouse shaped rice crispy treats dipped in chocolate.  We got the job done, but the day so wasn't about Mickey Mouse heads.  It was awesome, simply spending time together.  And capturing cute shots of my dad with Asher!  Fight on!

Abi turned 14 last weekend.  We went out for Chinese food, then we went to Pasadena for shopping, and a necessary stop at our favorite frozen yogurt spot, 21 Choices.  This is Adam getting his sinuses all cleared out on a wasabi dare at the Chinese restaurant.

Tessa and Danielle on Colorado Blvd.

The family, plus my darling niece Brienna on Colorado Blvd.  Note the demon eyes on everyone, except for Tessa, the only one seemingly unaffected by whatever spirit ran through the rest of them.

Ahhhh...nothing like frozen yogurt at 21 Choices!

We split up, with half of us shopping at Forever 21, and the other half hanging out at Barnes and Noble. I was in the shopping half, and when we finished, we walked over to Barnes and Noble to meet up with the rest of our family.  I came upon Hugo and Lee, reading just inside the store window.  I took this shot from outside.

We had family over Saturday night for Abi's birthday, and Luke needed a bath.  Dang, I love this dog.

No matter how gray life can seem, there is so much beauty to grab hold of.  I am so thankful for my parents, who gave us the ability to seek and find a whole lot of happy in life.  It has been amongst the most valuable tools they could have given us.  Up there with that work ethic, honesty, and the need to keep clean.

Indulge me a little, and take some advice:  Look for the things in your day today that make you smile.  Immerse yourself in the things today, that make your heart swell.  Enjoy all you can today, because gray is far more beautiful, when it is framed in color.  And gray happens, for one reason or another, from time to time.  Look for beauty, and let it soak in.  

Here.  For you.  One more time, to leave you with a smile:

GETS ME EVERY TIME!!!!!!!