The house was full of sounds and smells all day yesterday as children scurried and adults laughed. Despite my longings for home, I turned my heart to this family here - to these people I love and told myself to live for this moment, today.



Give and it shall be given to you. Yes, Lord.



There is a light in this world that shines brighter than anything I can make for myself. It shines out of a great darkness, out of a great inner darkness and distress. And then, inside one heart a candle is lit...and then another. I reach out with the candle burning inside me and light the heart of a friend, of another human being. And that person, in turn, reaches out and lights yet another heart; all because of a first Light that dared to defy the great darkness.



I sat in candlelight last night and knitted for an hour or so before bed. Then I folded it up and walked quietly around the house blowing out the candles, one by one. Corner after corner my house became dark and silent, until the very last light had been doused. The sound of breathing could be heard from where I stood barefoot by my bedroom door, the black night sky hovering moonless above the skylight.

Somehow I could still hear their laughter, feel their goodnight kisses, and I have stored them away for another day when I will long to hear and feel them again.