Climbing The Ladder of Life

I have slowly been adding Christmas items to my mantle. Some of them were given to me and some of them were made in classes taken. All of these items are new this year as all my previous year's decorations are still packed away. The only other decorations, in my valley home, are the sofa full of Woof and Poof Santa's and Snowmen you see in the picture above. I bought them from Maria. Amber, Bonnie and I stood in line the day after Christmas, for years, to get the pick of the litter on these treasures. I just couldn't let them be sold at a garage sale. They are part of our happy times and I want Chandler to have them.

Back to the mantle. I was given this beautiful throw and ornament from my friend Janell. My sofas down here are a mess---mismatched etc. and will be for awhile as we redo this house. I was pondering where to put the beauty when I looked at the mantle and there, right beside it stood the ladder. The ladder is such a big part of our lives right now . I suddenly knew exactly what to do with the throw and ornament. I like the way it looks.

Like many of you I am sure, at this special time of the year, I have been pondering my life and thinking about where I am and where I have been. As I looked at the ladder it reminded me I climb up and I climb down. As I do this I paint my walls much the same way I paint my life. My growth climbs up and down with the day by day happenings. Last year, at this time ,my heart was broken and the load felt so heavy I could hardly walk. This year my heart is still broken but I am learning I am quite capable of walking. I have even been able to run at times, of late. I have climbed up and down the ladder of life for all my 62 years. Some of my learning's and practicing what I have learned have lightened my load. Friends have pitched in and helped carry some of the burden. Such wonderful friends I have.

When I saw the pictures below of my friend Janice and me on the beach in Oceanside, it confirmed that there is certainly a choice in how I look at things. Janice and I both love the beach ( who doesn't? smile ) but on our latest trip most of the time it was windy and cold. We just kept bundling up and coming up with ways to insulate ourselves from the obstacles.

We were there to read on the beach and listen to the ocean and by golly we made it happen and we were both happy to do so.

I am sad, at times about my daughter ( and what mother wouldn't be ) and I cry but not nearly as often as a year ago. I will continue to climb the ladder up and down and hopefully I will continue to keep getting more agile at doing so.