What if I’m right?

Sometimes, when you catch someone unaware at just the right time and in just the right light, you can catch sight of what they will be.

Source: Jennifer Donnelly

Picture: found @ wallpaperist

Inky’s Thoughts: So the immediate question is, which am I referring to – the pigeon, or the person holding the air horn?   Yes, it’s ‘only’ a bird.  Yes, there are a million of them flying around.  But does that make it okay?     

Look…  I’m a southern gal that believes with certainty (another story, another time) in reincarnation.  I’ve witnessed the adage; ‘what goes around comes around,’ a lot over the course of my years.  If I, metaphorically speaking, pressed that air horn, I wouldn’t want that bird coming back in my next life as my company CEO!  Worse yet, my spouse.  Sure you can laugh, I hear you.   But, just think about it for a moment…..

…a Good.  Long.  Moment.   Who knows what happens after?  Who does?  I mean really?   So then, it begs the question…. what if I’m right?

Silence..

I’ve begun to realize that you can listen to silence and learn from it. It has a quality and a dimension all its own.

Source: Chaim Potok, The Chosen

Picture: Vlad Studio @ Deviant Art

Inky’s Thoughts:  My grandparents were deaf and mute.  As I child I didn’t understand the difference or why they chose to communicate as they did with their hands.  Still, I learned their variation of slang sign, but upon their death did not learn more.

What I did learn, the legacy they gave me was the power of silence.   The ability to sit, in total silence alone with myself, and my thoughts.  It’s not as easy as it sounds. The demons you will conjure are horrifying, and relentless.  But if you make it through you will find a place that is pure, and filled with richness…

.. a small slice of peace in a rumbly jumbly world bent on racing over cliffs.  A place I can shut it all out and be alone with me, in the silence.

Mystery…

A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.

Source: Charles Dickens

Photo: found@ oldphotoblogspot

Inky’s Take: In my meanderings this morning, trusty coffee by my side, I stumbled upon the above picture.

According to the blog it’s a Sioux Indian.   There was no other identifying information, but that did not stop my fertile imagination from wondering.  I sat for a good twenty minutes just studying the picture, wondering at the mystery of this man. Intrigued, and saddened. Intrigued by his existence, saddened that I cannot sit and talk with him about his story.

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Pirates anyone?

There is no shortage of well-known pirates, including: Henry Morgan, Captain Kidd, Blackbeard, Blue beard, Yellowbeard, and Yellow beard with Black Roots, who surmised that, if blondes have more fun, then blond pirates must have a heck of a lot more fun.

Source: Cuthbert Soup, Another Whole Nother Story 

Art: found @ wallpoper

Inky’s Thoughts: I saw the artwork out on the web, and fell in love with it.  Isn’t it good?  There are quite a few dangling from the family tree… pirates that is.  Living as the family has so close to the sea since the 1500’s there are some tall tales, some rather short ones, and quite a few true ones as well.

So the requested theme for the grandbaby’s book for Christmas 2014 is pirates, an octopus, a whale, a vanishing island, a key, and a tower.   Don’t ask, I have no idea, but I am sure somehow I’ll make it work….

Sheesh…

A Candle..

There’s a road that I remember leading to a special place
Where the door was always open to a smiling face
There’s a picture on the mantle of a boy who looks like me
And it’s always the same, there’s a stocking with my name

And a candle in the window, a flame against the night
There’s a candle in the window, it’s like God’s perfect light
Now it don’t take a lot of money to know what riches are
Just a candle in the window
Oh at Christmas, in your heart, in your heart
Maybe it’s just wishful thinking I can hear the sleigh bells ring
Almost taste the pie Momma’s baking, it’s Christmas Eve

Source: Alabama, Candle in the Window..

Inky’s Wish:  May this holiday season find you filled with happiness.  May Santa fill your stockings with opportunity for dreams to come true, and laughter to spread over the year.  May he hide a gift of comfort to be discovered when needed most, and may he take whatever loneliness that is in residence, with him to be reworked within his factory by his elves into a gift of love and belonging.

Gotta go now, the grandbabies and I are busy out on the lawn with a telescope searching the skies for that wonderful cherub, and his eight reindeer!

Merry Christmas from the Inky household to yours! 

Photo: @visualparadox

Pickles..

A U.S. Christmas tradition.  An ornament in the shape of a pickle is hidden on a decorated Christmas tree.  The finder, receives either an extra Christmas gift or good fortune in the following year.

Never heard of it?  Neither had I till this year.

It’s orgins are shrouded in mystery, citing lost Spanish children, or a Civil War soldier that was saved from starving by a pickle gifted by the enemy.  Either way Berrien Springs, Michigan holds the title of Christmas Pickle capital of the world with a festival and parade in early December.

Deck the Halls with…. Christmas Pickle?  Who cares?  As long as the children, and Old Saint Nick are happy, so am I!

Mid the masses…

Why are there so many people out here?’ Boomer asked as we bobbed and weaved roughly forward.

‘Christmas shopping.’ I explained.

‘Already? Isn’t it early to returning things?’

I really had no sense of how his mind worked.

Source: David Levithan, Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares

Photo: @ runningwingtips

Inky’s Take: … I use to be there, points to the above picture, the one in the middle going against the flow?  That was me.

Not this year though, this year it’s a hot toddy, a nice fire, feet up enjoying the weekend before Christmas.  Presents obtained, turkey in the freezer, Glenlivet and wine on hand, tree tinseled, and lights happily flickering along the house’s trim.

How did I manage?  Online shopping, that wonderful little invention that keeps the UPS man and post office very busy while I remain relatively sane and sober.  As Mama always said, ‘If you cant go with the flow’, points to the picture again, ‘then redirect it!’

Only three more shopping days till Christmas!

Santa question…

God put Santa Claus on earth to remind us that Christmas is ‘sposed to be a happy time.

Source: Bill Keane

Photo: found @ alphacoders

Inky’s Take: Not believe in Santa?  You can forget that, me boyo!  My mom told me ages ago the minute you stop believing in Santa is the moment he stops coming. I’ll have you know Santa is a regular visitor at the Inky household, and will continue to be until the good Lord calls me home.

Not believe in Santa?   Please…..

Hell of a thing…

…..to have to experience, hell of a thing to have to see, to be reminded you’re a human being and all it meant to be one.

Source: Dean Koontz, Winter Moon

Picture: found @ wallibs

 

never stop…

To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight and never stop fighting.

Source: ee cummings

Photo: found @ GJXU

Inky’s Take:  It’s taken years to reach the point where the battle isn’t as hurtful, or exhausting as it was before.  Why?  Because I simply don’t give a flying fig what the other side thinks….

I’m happy.