Catching Fireflies, and Keeping Them.

Mark and I were walking along the paths of Raintree in the quiet harvest of the cooling sun. A quaint night, lingering along the lines of golf greenways and meandering under crested trees tilted in dusk, dancing with darkness, encompassed by ponds, and speckled with bright little specks of light, fireflies.

Mark leaned over, with my watching eyes of delight, and reached to catch fireflies...

I feel like that these days. I feel like I'm catching fireflies -- little bright moments of great, bursting joy and goodness, held carefully in my hand, and close in my heart. I'm catching fireflies right now, and keeping them.

~ Greeting Mark with red wine and pasta and my joy from his early flight home, and wishing on good things during dinner, then masquerading like a movie, enchanted, through the courses of green that roam my backyard... Wandering, lingering, loving such places...

~ Riding bikes with Trish on a Sunday afternoon, relaxing under the shade of tree and friendship, letting no walls or barriers come between us or conversation... Greens of so many leaves, a canopy over us, the sun sharing bits of its color, and my heart rested and full, peddling the pattern of hers...

~ Being tossed around and laughing, swirled and swung, strung along like joy on a string between the dancers of Chantilly Hall... Grinning wildly at Mark and Brad and Trish, and watching their faces enthralled with dizziness and release and fully present... Eating ice cream cookie sandwiches afterward; letting it melt in my mouth like the soft cherishing of the memories being made with friends...

~ Charmed by Mark, walking with him through streets of Dilworth and remarking on homes and houses and character. Resting in the conversation of each other, the calm of afternoon strolls, the little wooden bench strapped to the side of the walk, and the doors of wood enamored... Marking days and hours by nothing over than our laughter or thoughts or words...

~ Giddy with my nephew, exploding with fullness, hearing his voice over his first day of school. Learning about his bus, his teachers, his orange plaid shorts, and his backpack. Hearing his words at the end of our stories, when I blew billowing kisses over the phone. His replies captured my heart: The first, he said, "I missed it." The second, "I didn't catch it." the third, "I caught it... but I let it go." The fourth, "I caught it, and I'm going to keep it!" And hearing his voice in a final, "I love you" with my heart reacting with complete embrace.

~ Being alongside Mark, praising and joyful, a steadfast heart in worship. Remembering the wholeness of everything captured stained-glass window affront, hearing the voice of my Pastor, and believing good things for us both...

I'm catching fireflies these days, and keeping them.

~

"Mary treasured up all of these things and pondered them close to her heart." Luke 2:19