Release

Today's Advent word is "release" and it wasn't until I stepped from the field, over the ditch, and into the tree plantation that I knew what photo I would take.
Even though I'm supposed to walk with my ultra-lite knapsack, carrying my phone, knife and whistle, I didn't bring it on our late day walk because it's snowing and sometimes,
sometimes,
it's nice to leave everything behind. To be released from the phone culture.
But as soon as I stepped into this scene, I knew I would trudge back to the house because this is the photo for "release".

This is a photo of the moment when you step into this scene and
let go
of
everything.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Watch the snowflakes fall (it was movie snow! when I looked up, it was like being in the ice rink scene in the movie "Serendipity"!).

This,
this scene,
this tree plantation,
this space,
is why I love living here.
This is why
I am at home here.

I can breathe here.
I can create here.
Here, I am free.
This is my release.

This photo is my prayer of gratitude, my thanks to the guardian angels who brought Dwayne and I together,
finally,
who brought me to this place
where the snow is soft, the trees are welcoming, and the sky is large.

I don't need Advent to remind me of hope and peace and joy and love.
I just have to walk out into the woods to know they are part of this life.

(And THANK YOU! I just figured out what I'm going to say for my message about "peace" on Christmas Eve.
Isn't this place amazing?)