TODAY'S PHOTO -
lighting Hanukah candles, many years ago, on the last day of the celebration.
Sam's black and white photo flashed through my memory bank as I was thinking about a photo for this issue. It brings with it our wishes for a lit up holiday, whichever you may be celebrating, and loving times from now through New Year's and beyond.
For those who may not be celebrating a holiday, the wishes for light and love are with you also.
Interestingly, this year the 8 days of Hanukah are coinciding with Christmas, starting on the eve of Christmas Day, and the 7 days of the African American celebration of Kwanzaa which begins on December 26, so the photo seemed especially fitting.
We can also view the hand as reaching out to touch you in gratitude and appreciation for what having all of you dear subscribers in our lives has meant to us this year.
For those who follow the technical aspects of some of the Picture to Ponder photos, I did use, with Sam's approval/choice, a Photoshop Elements filter which warmed up the picture and gives it the slight golden, peachy color cast.
SELF-REFLECTING QUERIES -
For many of us holidays and celebrations are difficult times. For me, for some unknown reason, I wind up getting caught up in thoughts of the things that are missing in my life, temporarily/momentarily overlooking all the blessings and riches in it. And those of you who have been subscribing for some time are familiar with all that I do have, particularly with regards to Sam, our wonderful family, the area in which we I live, the talents that I have and the people in my life.
I know that some of you have suffered losses this year and you will likely be feeling them especially strongly now. If this applies to you, I invite you to look for what you can celebrate about that past relationship (to person, animal or thing). Spend some time. Write, sing, draw, express the joy that undoubtedly at some point had been.
I actually invite all of us to do the same. Pause, at least momentarily, during the next week and look for and acknowledge the beauty in your life.
As my hand above is reaching out to light the candles, to whom can you reach out to acknowledge and share your gratitude?
As I've said earlier this week, our friend Stacey Robyn is aiming for us all to be reaching 1,000,000 people in gratitude. Remember each time you touch one person, he or she will, in some way, be passing it on.
At Thanksgiving time, I wrote the following Haiku, which also fits for today:
Thanking and loving
Is the theme for all of us
Most precious moments
Have/Create a peaceful and rich Holiday or week.
SHARING YOUR COMMENTS -
If you are moved to respond to this holiday message, your comments are welcomed. If you would like to send them directly to me , I will be glad to share them with all of our subscribers. Be sure to note your permission and that it's OK, if it is, to use your name.
You may, of course, also use the BLOG. When you go to the BLOG,
you'll see the current issue and photo and a link at the end for Posting Comments. To see the photo
ENLARGED at the same size you see it here, simply click
on it.
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With love and appreciation,
![Issue 209 of Picture to Ponder](http://www.eteletours.com/EZINE/sheilasamwako1x.jpg)
Sheila and Sam Finkelstein
sheila@eteletours.com
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© 2005 Sheila Finkelstein
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