Maggie's Day 346 of Discovering Love in my Passion Being Ignited

Last night I took a shower before I went to bed. My skin was clean, my legs shaven, lavender sat on the pillow next to mine. I slept peacefully awakening only after the night had passed and the morning was still alive. Today was the last day of my winter break. Spring classes will resume on Monday.

I will miss my mornings like the one I had today. I am thankful that I take the time to love myself, to treat myself to great pleasures and peaceful moments. Spring Break will be here before I know it. I’ll rest again then.

Once I rolled out of bed it was nothing but go go go. I had to paint on my ten foot by nine foot canvas. When I was absolutely exhausted from that I headed out to my friend Bill’s wood shop. When I go there it was like going to Disney World.

Maggie's Day 345 of Discovering Love in Buying Local

It is a practice of mine to pretty much exclusively shop at locally owned businesses. I do so because such a practice really does make a difference in my local economy.

The more money I spend at locally owned businesses the better my quality of life because the more money those businesses spend in Louisville. My little community is rich because ‘Buy Local’ and ‘Louisville Original’ is taken seriously.

I take my investment in my community seriously and I take what happened to me today very seriously. Don Preston at Preston Art’s Center believed in me enough to go the extra marathon so that my next First Friday Trolley Hop could be executed without a hitch.

Maggie's Day 344 of Discovering Love in Being an Available Friend

Weeks ago I made plans with a Friend for this evening. She was going to make it to my house sometime after eight o’clock. We were going to catch up and then our life would be complete.

Low and be hold my friend Renee made it my house after two others. By the time she arrived I was spent. But the two of us managed to find a great time together among the other’s company.

It’s interesting how the world unfolds and them sucks me in. I love it!

It’s late and I’m tired but before I go I shall add that life is short and love is in abundance. So celebrate enough already.

Maggie's Day 343 of Discovering Love in Warming Up and Hanging Out

Again today I attempted to watch Midnight in Paris only to fall asleep. I suppose it simply is not all that interesting to me. But then again none of Woody Allen’s movies have topped my Must See list.

Now I am fighting to stay awake so that I can share with you how I discovered love today. It happened something like this.

My friends Amy and Patty and I were supposed to get together for a couple of drinks down at The Brown Hotel. It’s a great place to sip on bourbon, soak in nostalgia and feel like a lady.

Unfortunately, Patty couldn’t join us so Amy and I decided to stay just a little closer to home. We took a journey up to Lilly’s before settling in at the bar. Once there I opted for a Manhattan, Amy a glass of wine.

Maggie's Day 342 of Discovering Love in a Full Moon Chaotic Pressure

I felt as though I were living in a Twilight Zone today. The strangest things happened and I just looked on in total confusion as though others were speaking Swahili and interpreting in Latin.

Nothing made sense. Everyone else appeared to be as confused as I was but for totally different reasons. I wonder how such behavior can exist.

Then I noted it was a full Moon day. The pressure was more than we could stand or that I could stand anyway. Chaos ruled and I watched in total amazement at what could go wrong and how it could do so.

Today was the kind of day that two and two came up three no matter how many different ways you added them. Getting a Full House would have been impossible.

With a schedule from here to there to get done I decided to take the evening off. So I walked up to the store and rented Midnight in Paris. Then I slept through the entire movie. I have no idea what it’s all about. I just know that I’ve been told that I would absolutely love it.

I’ll try again tomorrow night. Maybe it will work out then for me.

Maggie's Day 341 of Discovering Love in Celebrating an Anniversary with Michael

One year and two days ago I met a man by the name of Michael. My friend Michelle said to me that she loved us both and that we needed to meet. So we did. Now I understand why.

Michael’s been a tremendous gift to me this year: bringing me up when I didn’t realize that I needed to be, reminding me that men are great beings and that they should be loved just as I should be, that gifts come in all sorts of packages, that strangers aren’t strange when minds and hearts are open, that miracles happen every day, acceptance is free, Louisville is small and I am an artist.

That’s a lot to learn in three hundred and sixty seven days from one guy whose body mass and collected years could never match mine.

Maggie's Day 340 of Discovering Love in Tossing a Salad and Watching a Flick

Yesterday there was so much I had wanted to share with you. But by the time I sat down at the computer to share my discovery of love I simply could not keep my eyes open. For almost two hours my head would nod me awake and random letters would be typed out on the page.

I finally had to succumb and just let it all go. I fear the same will happen this evening. I am exhausted. I am beginning to realize that the last six weeks have absolutely worn me out.

Perhaps this is my time to rest. I am going to note it as such.

After a long day at work my friend Lisa came over with all the delicious fixings for salad and a movie for dessert.

Maggie's Day Day 339 of Discovering Love in Something that Was Bigger than I Was

The sun came up today so I played all day on this magnificently powerful Friday. Now, the sun has set so I shall go to bed. It was a beautiful day to be alive and part of something that was bigger than I was.

Sweet Dreams to you and all those who experienced this day’s magnificence! Maggie

How did you discover love today?

 I welcome your comments here or on line at discoveringlovein365days@hotmail.com.

Maggie's Day 338 of Discovering Love in a Dinner for Two at Vincenzo’s

Dinner was at Vincenzo’s this evening. My friend Jim picked me up before treating me to a beautiful night of absolute splendor.

I dressed in red suede and silk, adorned in pearls. Jim wore green and navy blue. Colors that always make his eyes dance. Collectively we in no way, shape or form resembled Christmas even though our color scheme reeked of holiday cheer. Maybe it was because we both chose to leave the tinsel at home.

I can claim though that Jim decorates my life with his love. He is the best friend any person could ever ask to share their life. I got lucky. He’s my neighbor.

Through a heated and passionate community dilemma Jim and I came to know each other years ago. Each of us recognizing the strengths the other possessed and the gifts simply couldn’t go unnoticed.

Maggie's Day 337 of Discovering Love in Taking the Time to Listen

It’s late. I haven’t been to bed yet.

No matter what time I go to bed I have to be at school at seven o’clock in the morning. It’s going to be a short night and tomorrow is going to be a long day. Hopefully, I can get a nap.

It would be nice if I had a friend to call so that I could have someone to snuggle up with if I do indeed get the opportunity to take a nap sometime in the next twelve to sixteen hours. Most likely I will not have the opportunity to nap so I will not need to call a friend. Because if that were the case I would be a longtime finding someone with whom I wanted to call.

So, I’m going to let he day unfold as it will.

In the meantime I would love to share with you that I discovered love today in taking the time to hear what someone else needed to say.

It had been a really bad no good rotten day for one of my classmates. More than anything else all they needed to do was to share. So I listened. I felt compassion. Then I listened some more.

Maggie's Day 336 of Discovering Love in Putting Myself on Display

A storm ripped through town today but didn’t quite wreck havoc where I was. Sirens blared. Rain pounded. When the sun came out I thought I better head downtown to The Green Building to check on my sculpture that has been joyfully sitting in the parking lot.

The sculpture is a self-portrait that moves around on a whim just as I do. It resembles me in a lot of other ways as well.

As I pulled into the lot my poor little sculpture was broken most likely from the beating it sustained by the hard wind pounding it against the asphalt. Limp and wet soaking in saw dust that looked more like manure than fine shreds of wood I knew the exhibition time had come to an end.

Maggie's Day 335 of Discovering Love While Playing in the Darkness

I paid my electricity bill last month. This month’s bill isn’t due for another nine days. So when the electricity went out this evening I was pretty darn sure it wasn’t as a result of anything I did or didn’t do.

Sure enough the lights continued in some type of pattern going on and off for a period of almost two hours. I kept on working on my drawing.

With my brand new Craftsmen lithium battery flashlight that I bought myself for Christmas I hunkered down in the dark and kept focused on the area that my flashlight illuminated. The oversized paper on my easel was just the right size for the flashlight’s blinding beam.

Diligently I worked on the banister, the walls and the baseboards.

Fortunately the model I had posing for me had finished up prior to the lights going out. When we said ‘Good night’ on the front porch I suggested he park his vehicle perpendicular in the street and beam his brights right into my entry hall. That would have taken care of me for a while.

Maggie's Day 334 of Discovering Love in Honoring My Hero

This was not one of my better days. There have been far worse though, much worse. Somewhere in the dark out of a deep sleep I had to make a mad dash to the restroom last night. Fortunately my sink was close enough to my bed that all that I hurled remained within the basin. I was thankful.

After cleaning myself up and the sink as best I could I crawled back into bed, pulled the covers tight around my chin before falling back into a sleep that wasn’t very restful. No wonder I’m so exhausted.

I think I ate something yesterday that just didn’t agree with me and it’s still not. But I’m going to be okay. Now I know why I didn’t feel so well when I was posting my discovery of love yesterday.

Maggie's Day 333 of Discovering Love in Empowering People

I like to make people happy. Today I managed to succeed at it all afternoon.

My job provides me the opportunity to empower people. When I do that, they are happy. All day long I heard, “You are good.” If I am, it’s only because the people I work with are open to receive.

When we remain open our world is filled with abundance. Right now mine is and man am I thankful for that.

I love it when people are happy, proud, confident and sure. I work hard all day to make sure those who enter my path get to experience all of that. Today I succeeded.

Maggie Day 332 of Discovering Love in Finding Warmth on a Frigid January Day

If I had a dime I would be ten cents richer. That’s a fact like so many others that really has no bearing on life. It’s just a true statement.

Fortunately, I have more than a dime of that I am truly thankful.

I was also very thankful today to be in my home while the rest of those in Louisville trampled through the frigid cold that hit hard and lingered long. It’s still lingering.

I loved this day and my part in it from beginning to end. A couple or so times I even took the effort to verbalize aloud how thankful I was for the life I live. I know others aren’t as fortunate as I am no matter how much they have.

My home was peaceful today, quiet. I struggled like hell to make it warm. I wasn’t so successful at that but at least I tried.


I heated up the huge pot of bean soup I made the night before last. I whipped up a batch of brownies just to have an excuse to turn on the oven. I put a dollop of bourbon in my afternoon tea in the hopes of warming myself from the inside out.

Maggie's Day 331 of Discovering Love in Sweet Clementine Memories

There is no reason for this entry to be particularly short but it is. I guess it’s kind of like me.

This afternoon I stopped in to say, “Hello,” to a couple of friends. In the middle of the dialogue that extended well beyond the, “Hello,” I was offered a bite of a clementine. I appreciated the offer but wasn’t interested in the sweet juicy pick-me-up of one of the world’s best fruits at the time.

Before I left my pleasant encounter I committed to myself that while I was at the grocery to pick up spinach I needed to pick up a box of clementines as well.

Stopping at the grocery was already on the agenda. I was pretty sure I would be the only shopper picking up spinach and clementines. With the approaching storm and near zero temperatures I was pretty darn sure the place would be picked over. The shelves of milk and bread bear.

I never did see what the supply or lack there was of bread and milk. Spinach and clementines were plentiful.

Maggie's Day 330 of Discovering Love in Making up a Hearty Pot of Winter-Time Soup

Finally, a day arrived where I didn’t have to be in the studio all day and all night. I was able to drive home before the sun set and hit my studio at home to complete my five hour nude drawing.

Before heading up to the studio I put my nurturing self to work on the making of a healthy delicious pot of bean soup. Somehow there aren’t a whole lot of beans in my bean soup though.

It appears as though the head of cabbage, bag of carrots, two stalks of celery and two slabs of ribs have over powered the beans. With the addition of a tad of seasoned sea salt I now have a most delicious pot of soup to keep me filled up for the next week.

I have no doubt that I will manage to lose weight while eating my pot of soup. I will undoubtedly burn off more calories than I consume and that is okay by me.

Maggie's Day 329 of Discovering Love in the Shadow Cast by a Tree

There are days like today when all I do is push myself because I know I have so far to go. There isn’t a finish line that I am trying to reach. There’s just knowledge that I am trying to gain. And there is an awful lot if it out there. Sometimes I feel as though it is alluding me. Today was one of those times.

I spent eight hours in the studio today pushing myself and loving every minute of it. Along the way I asked four different people for critiques. Three of the critiques I loved because they helped push me forward. The forth set me back and not in a progressive way.

One thing I learned is that I need to ask for help from people who know more than I do.

One of the young women whom I asked for feedback, the moment she opened her mouth I was in awe. She taught me that I know very little. Even less than I thought I knew. I am doomed.

Maggie's Day 328 of Discovering Love in Being Amazed

I’m a pretty humble individual. I live a relatively uncomplicated life. I strive to be the best artist I can be. I don’t expect much of anything in return.

At times I am amazed that people appreciate my work. It’s not that I don’t think my work is worth appreciating. It’s just that there’s a lot of stuff in this world to appreciate, so why bother noticing mine. People notice though.

My ego isn’t big. I hope it never is.

I will share with you that a smile tickled my face this morning when one of my students said, “Yeah, my mom saw your piece.”

The student’s mom holds a rather prominent position. I was amazed that she had scene my work. And further amazed that she even bothered to mention it to her son. Little miracles happen every day.


Afterwards I headed back to school where I was given yet another gift. One of my classmates shared with me that she and her friends were down town Friday evening and saw my sculptural self-portrait on display. My classmate’s friends were in awe of my creativity. She was proud to know me and to be working with me just as I am of her.

Maggie's Day 327 of Discovering Love in Letting my Creative Juices Express

It’s going on two o’clock in the morning and I’m just now sitting down to share this day’s love with you. Man, do I ever pack it in.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m crazy. Then I decide that I’m not. I’m just passionate.

Sometimes I wonder how I’m ever going to make it through the weekend or even the next day. Before I know it the weekend is gone and the day has passed and the work is done.

I do believe this weekend I performed a miracle. Tomorrow I will know.

It appears as though my sculptural self-portrait that went on exhibit Friday for the First Friday Trolley Hop was an absolute success. People are still talking about it and not just to me. People like the way I think. I like the way people appreciate my work. Life is good.

Then I worked almost twenty hours for my day job only to spend my nights drawing a self-portrait in charcoal, three foot by three foot. It’s not that I’m square. It’s just that that’s the size paper I used.

Maggie's Day 326 of Discovering Love in Just Staying in the Moment

On New Year’s Eve a young man who is a senior in high school said to me that he wished I was his aunt. My response was, “I am. I’m your Aunt Maggie,” because that is how he has addressed me for the past twelve years of his life.

Spence’s response was, “No, I mean like a real aunt that would be at all my family events.”

I responded, “So, invite me.” Let’s see what happens.

That conversation had been forgotten until today.

This morning while I was working I encountered a little three-year-old girl and her big five-year-old brother. She had a doll in her hands. He was looking out for her while their mother stood about two feet away speaking to a store attendant.

I engaged in a conversation with the two kids that was totally entertaining. I had no idea what was happening. I was just having fun and hoping I was administering some good will towards my company. I was wearing a shirt with the company’s logo on it.

Maggie's Day 325 of Discovering Love in Observing the Comments, Actions and Expressions of Others

Ah, the twelve days of Christmas have passed. This evening I completed the fifth of twelve consecutive installation art pieces for the First Friday Trolley Hop and tomorrow I will work for the first day this year.

What a magnificent life I lead.

I discovered love this evening as I stood back observing the comments, actions and expressions of all those who took a moment out of their lives to stop by and view my self portrait. It is on display down at the Green Building, uniquely me, uniquely displayed.

People love the element of surprise. That was made obvious to me this evening. I love to make people smile. They smiled.

Maggie's Day 324 of Discovering Love in three of the Twelve Drummers Drumming on the Twelfth Day of Christmas

Rumor has it that Three Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem on this day two thousand and twelve years ago bringing gifts to the Christ Child.

Today I arrived at a party with three drummers drumming and surely passed the other nine along my way during the day.

Arriving at school at six o’clock this morning I worked hard on my homework assignment until class began and then afterwards worked on my sculpture for my First Friday Trolley Hop exhibit.

I headed for home sometime after ten this evening stopping at a neighbor’s house to join in on their Epiphany before walking home. I suppose I stayed a little longer than I originally intended.

Maggie's Day 323 of Discovering Love in Replacing Eleven Pipers Piping on the Eleventh Day of Christmas

At a few minutes past eight this morning as I was waiting for a meeting to begin I thought to myself, “Wow, gotta find Eleven Pipers Piping today. Where?”

The meeting began. The mission was forgotten.

So, here I am on the Eleventh Day of Christmas with the clock ticking away and I have no Pipers Piping. Now what?

The same soft and freeing Jazz CD that I spoke of yesterday is playing from the music box just to the right of me. It sits on the floor just under a buffet in my dining room. Unfortunately that peaceful music has not beckoned any pipers. The only pipes I have carry gas and water to the house and refuse from it.

I think the closest I can make it in this recession Twelve Days of Christmas is Ten Feet a Drawn as opposed to the historical Eleven Pipers Piping.

Maggie's Day 322 of Discovering Love in an Empty Handed Tenth Day of Christmas Without Ten Lords Leaping

If there were Ten Lords a Leaping anywhere in this town today, I did not see them. I was about sitting and watching, waiting and seeking yet I never saw one Lord nor anyone leaping. I didn’t see any frogs either.

Thirteen and a half-hours later I am exhausted, empty handed and without a photo or a love of discovering Ten Lords a Leaping. It’s a good thing we’re in some pretty bad economic times because I found a solution to my almost empty-handed nothingness.

Since I couldn’t find ten of anything I thought about a derivative of ten. That could be one. So, I am one. I’m a lady instead of a Lord. On this day that was a good enough trade off for me, an exceptional one at that.

Maggie's Day 321 of Discovering Love in the Search of Nine Ladies Dancing on the Ninth Day of Christmas

Last night’s dinner was accompanied by an antihistamine because of the home’s five canine inhabitants. Waking up this morning was not a pleasant event.

The alarm’s bold robust sound hit my rested eardrums like a tsunami on a sandy southern beach on a calm restful morning. I shot up wondering where I was and where I needed to be. The answers didn’t come easily.

A quick run to the restroom and a splash of water on my face reminded me I had a nine o’clock date for coffee and doughnuts with Bill. A date I didn’t want to miss or be late for.

I love that man. I cherish every minute I get with him. I learn every time he opens his mouth. His wisdom is awe-inspiring. To watch him work is like tending to one of God’s miracles. It is miraculous.

Maggie's Day 320 of Discovering Love in Not Seeking out Eight Maids a Milking on the Eighth Day of Christmas

The wind blew into town today with such furry that I rushed downtown at just minutes past nine to check on my current installation art piece. All was surprisingly well so I scurried home for a peaceful beginning to this fabulous New Year.

I rang in the day with a nice little Italian brunch that made this whole year worth living. When Italians cook, eating is good. Life is good.

On this Eighth Day of Christmas I was originally in search of Eight Maids o Milking but abandoned the idea the minute I thought I had a surefire way to discover love today.

Whether it was ‘surfire’ or not I may never know. In the meantime I discovered love in a beautiful brunch on a sunny morning in the tastiest sandwich that has ever been created my man.

So, there was no need for maids, or cows or milking or anything else for that fact. Today I discovered love was going to come in it’s own time with it’s own plan. All I had to do was show up and participate.

Maggie's Day 319 of Discovering Love in Seven Swans a Swimming on the Seventh Day of Christmas

When swans swim they are beautiful and elegant. It’s as though they miraculously glide like silk on crystal clear water that’s as smooth as ice. That’s how I felt today.

I didn’t need Seven Swans a Swimming to enjoy this day and receive its riches. All I had to do was show up to love and be loved. It was as easy as pie today. And as sweet as my lemon poppy seed birthday cake that my fabulous sister Katie made for me.

I swam through this day with ease doing what I love to do and being with those whom I love to be with.

Thank you for sharing a piece of yourself with me today. You made me feel like a million bucks.

I know the New Year is going to be a humdinger of a great experience because today was so magnificent. It was just a precursor of what is to come.

So, get on your riding jackets because we’re going for a ride. This year is going to be a good one.

Maggie's Day 318 of Discovering Love in Six Geese a Laying on the Sixth Day of Christmas

Technically, it’s my birthday. Midnight has struck. It is now the last day of the year. The day that I love to just be. This year it looks as though I have been fortunate enough to celebrate this day from both ends. What a gift.

Celebrating your birthday on the last day of the year truly is a gift. It’s the culmination of everything all at one time. No one with a birthday on any other day of the year knows what that is like. It is powerful, motivational, exciting, inviting and probably a slew of other things as well that I can’t even put into words right now.

I spent this entire day running errands so that I could start off the New Year with nothing hanging over my head, nothing needing to be tended to, all my bills paid and my house clean and laundry done. I am ready for a great big beautiful New Year that will be stress-free, peaceful, loving and exciting.

Everything came in it’s own time today but it indeed did come. Item after item on my list was checked off. Then I ended the day with a fun-filled, laughter-filled, thought-provoking dinner engagement with a friend. Life is good. I feel free. Success at last.

Maggie's Day 317 of Discovering love in Five Golden Rings on the Fifth Day of Christmas

At seven o’clock I was up and ready to go. At that hour I thought I was going to be heading to Milwaukee this afternoon to visit with my friend Michelle.

Plans kind of fizzled out so here I am basking in the warmth, beauty and love of my own home. There truly is no place like home.

Since I wasn’t going to be in a car driving six and a half hours today I decided to devote that time to my nephew George and his painting that is actually an assignment for his English class. I’m not quite sure what’s going on.

One thing I do know is that today I taught my fabulous nephew how to paint an ocean, an island, a sky, a horizon line and a tree. George has a rock solid foundation for a great future in art. He’s a very gifted young man. I think he’s going to make it.

So, while George was painting I fixed a couple of alcohol-free cranberry and lime margaritas. Then, instead of five golden rings I surrounded his glass with five sprinkle-covered chocolate rings. I do indeed love these recession-minded Twelve Days of Christmas.

Maggie's Day 316 of Discovering Love in Four Calling Birds on the Fourth Day of Christmas

Christmas is magical for me. It has been that way as far back as I can remember. As far back as the time I watched Santa through my bedroom window as he ran through the lawn and across Northeast Nineteenth Lane. I was four. Santa was big and real. He still is.

When I started this day bright and early I had no idea what Four Calling Birds looked like nor how to go about capturing them. I didn’t even know if they were found in these here parts. All I knew was that I was going to do my best and improvise when necessary.

Necessary came a whole sooner than I expected.

When I was younger my mother would refer to some one as “a bird”. I never really knew what she meant by that. Looking back I think it was a flighty individual she was referring to.

So, I took a deep inward search of the “birds” I knew and who I could call. Low and behold by six o’clock in the evening I had my Four Calling Birds and my beautiful Christmas smile brought about by the magic that only Christmas can bring.

Maggie's Day 315 of Discovering Love in Search of Three French Hens on the Third Day of Christmas

I’m a sucker for Christmas, all twelve days of it. I slept and lounged and napped today and paid no never mind to the world and the obligations I had in it.

Today it was just me and the pretty princess chair and my friend Mark Fiorito’s novel, Kiss of the Marlin.

I ate breakfast and lunch in the pretty princess chair and read in between naps. It made for the most fabulous third day of Christmas.

However, I must admit that I was on a quest to discover three French hens today. Realizing we’re in a recession whether our government calls it as such or not I knew that finding three French hens today was going to be a task and a half times ten.

Maggie's Day 314 of Discovering Love in Seeking out Two Turtle Doves on the Second Day of Christmas

Last nights antihistamine played havoc on me today. I knew that would happen.

The day didn’t begin for me until a quarter past noon. By two o’clock I was fast asleep after having taken a nap. I didn’t wake up until a quarter past seven.

Over the last five hours I have napped and read. I’m exhausted. After sharing my discovery of love with you I am heading up to bed. Hopefully tomorrow I will be back to normal.

During my first interlude of awakeness I wondered how I could encounter two turtledoves today. I knew I wasn’t going to stray far from the house. My eyes simply could not stay open that long.

On the return of my first trip to the garbage container outside I noticed a nest in my Cherry-Dogwood tree. Nearby sat its inhabitants, two Cardinal birds.

I thought about the nest and wondered how I could incorporate it in my search. After the second run to take out the garbage my answer was solidified.

Maggie's Day 313 of Discovering Love on the First Day of Christmas

There were no partridges for me today, not a pear tree either. But over at my friend Curt’s home there was a really bad allergic attack due to his fresh cut Christmas tree. As a result I had to take an antihistamine.

Now I am fighting to keep my eyelids open. Regretfully, I am losing.

I will share with you, though, that it was the love that was swirling around Curt’s home this evening that reminded me of how abundant my life truly is.

Christmas wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t share it with Curt and his fabulous family in his warm decorated-to-the-nines holiday home. So much for the partridge and the pear tree. I’m going to bed.

Maggie's Day 312 of Discovering Love Tree Side at Occupy Louisville

My nieces and nephews are growing up. I am freely letting them go so that they can be as independent as I am. However, I want to always be at their side guiding them, encouraging them, supporting them and loving them.

So, this evening I gave each of my nieces and nephews a piece of my heart so that they may carry it with them wherever they may go. Now I know that none of us will ever be alone. That is a very comforting feeling for me.

After all the incredible presents were unwrapped this evening and love was shared by all I pulled on my heavy sweater and headed down to the corner of Muhammad Ali Boulevard and Fifth Street. On the northwest corner sits a number of tents and a slew of ninety-nine percenters.

After parking my car in the only space available at the curb I quietly closed the door. I had already locked it.

Maggie's Day 311 of Discovering Love in Giving Gifts of Hope

As she stood and spoke of what ever it was she was sharing I clicked this photo of Luanne enjoying a little bit of holiday cheer. I never bothered to ask her what was in her drink other than the obvious red cherries that had found their way to the point where the stem begins or ends depending on which end of the glass you are referencing.

The cherries sat still in the glass full of something that Luanne really seemed to like. So I clicked away. Amazingly I was able to get a photo that actually came out clear. It wasn’t that Luanne couldn’t stand still or talk without moving her hands. It was the fact that I kept getting hit by the people that walked past me at a party that was one of the grandest of the holiday season.

A partial band of two played in the corner nestled in next to the Christmas tree that was actually three palm trees made out of some kind of man-made material strung with lights and flowers and a sporadic ornament or two.

On a table nearby lay a tray of wineglasses with the stems pointing up. Perhaps it was the same tray from where Luanne’s glass had once stood. It looked as though it could have been.

Maggie's Day 310 of Discovering Love in Possibly a Final Slumber Party

After a delicious picnic breakfast that was like the kind you would find in castles Michelle and George walked down the street in the rain. It felt as though it was the last time I would have them over for a slumber party. As their backs disappeared through the barren trees I realized that an era had passed and the slumber parties had most likely ceased.

It was a quiet moment that deserved a flashback of almost twenty years of slumber parties, fifteen kids, two houses and the heart of an aunt that grew with each.

So, perhaps I shall simply end this page so that silence can fall where a death has occurred.

Sweet Dreams to you and all those with whom you have ever slumbered! Maggie ã


How did you discover love today?

I welcome your comments here or on line at discoveringlovein365days@hotmail.com.