magic, wonderful
lights and fru-fru all over
let it last this year?

Today my car battery
accidentally drained
in a quiet parking lot
and I wondered what
in the world I would do
to get home.
From out of nowhere,
a man appeared with jumper
cables and spare time to help
in the frigid air.

Several attempts later, after driving his
car over a curb to reach mine, and
then pushing my car to a better, more
reachable place, success.
The stranger asked my name.
Merry Christmas, he said.
And he really meant it.

He not only restored my
battery, he restored my faith
and I thanked him and God
for yet another blessing
of the season.

I love this season,
even the squirrels get
an elaborate feeding station!

the assignment
was to re-create the work
of a master

undaunted, my 19-year-old
put color to a plain white canvas
and took my breath away

such confidence in color,
in brush strokes

"just" an art major?
hardly, I believe
she is majoring in magic

Thanksgiving cactus
right on time, again this year
one more miracle

origami cranes
symbols of healing and hope
in challenging times

they hang suspended
at the cancer center: how
we want to believe

I cut things up just
to put them back together;
and this pleases me!

from one holiday
to the next; where's the remote
so I can press "pause"?