GABRIELA YARELIZ

American Wealth: Hope, Opportunity & Resilience

[Image via englishspeecheschannel.com]

“Always do what you are afraid to do.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

By: Gabriela Yareliz

There was a JFK essay contest in high school. We learned about it through a newspaper we would read in English class. Those cute papers that had poems and featured other peer writing. I wanted in, and I read through his writings in my spare time. I read Profiles in Courage. I am not sure I processed it in the way I needed to, but I was amazed by some of the things our former president said. While I gave him some serious side-eye for the adulterous dalliances, I do remember quotes like:

“The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have paid it. And one path we shall never choose and that is the path of surrender, or submission.”
John F. Kennedy

I lost the essay contest. (Don’t worry, this isn’t my second stab at it).

The other day, I watched a series that showed (what I have heard) is a very accurate portrayal of communism (I can only be told because I have never lived it in the flesh). In films like these, you see the poverty, the snitches and betrayal, the corrupted and farcical caricature of a “legal system”. You see the hunger. The plainness of it all. How you can be intelligent and smart and be stripped of every opportunity because someone doesn’t like you or you have refused to conform. An incredibly frustrating cluster-f of a world.

The series left me sad. Not because of the poverty and events– poverty isn’t new to me, neither were some of the dynamics, circumstances and events depicted. I mean, even Latin America has its heavy history of political turmoil, disappearances, and censorship. And if we are honest, even the U.S. has participated in these activities abroad. Coups and all. You don’t have to go far. In Puerto Rico, dissidents and people who were pro-independence were black listed and raided by the U.S. forces. Leaders were imprisoned and experimented on. No one’s hands are clean.

What did leave me with a pit in my stomach as I watched was the level of despair and hopelessness I saw in the people in the series. It was a mindset and way of life. In a communist country, there was no light people looked to. I didn’t see any hope. This was unfamiliar to me, culturally. People in this series just lived from one tragic downfall to the next, as if all they were awaiting was death. It disturbed me. I once heard Yeonmi Park say that in North Korea, there is no word for “love.” Language and other factors can very much shape our reality and emotional development.

While this country (the U.S.) has played a dark hand in incidents abroad (not gonna sugarcoat it and lie to you, here), when you live here, you have opportunity (that is a fact). So many stories. We can start at those young men who fought in the revolution (cue The Patriot music), Frederick Douglas, and move through history and look at the remarkable stories of Americans (even in pop culture). People like Ben Carson, Manny Khoshbin, Dolly Parton, Bobby Bones, Steve Harvey… The stories of great Americans may have meager beginnings but when people are infused with hope and divine favor, they achieved remarkable things. You see, in ‘Merica, we have a word for hope. We live it. We breathe it. We die by it. It is the American way. This country was and has been untouched by the old world despondency. This is not the land of Dickens; it is the world of the adventurous Mark Twain. It has sparkles and a coat of many colors others dream of.

The mixture of opportunity with the nurturing of hope and faith is something we must never lose. It has made us unique. Resilience makes us strong. It changes resignation and despair into courage and initiative. This is what also makes so many of the immigrant stories to the U.S. so great.

“Lives of great men all remind us, we can make our lives sublime, and, departing, leave behind us, footprints on the sands of time”
Longfellow

We live in this incredible country where the poorest person is rich in comparison to someone in a labor camp in China. I sometimes sit and read the more hidden news stories (the ones our government doesn’t want to acknowledge). The ones of people fighting for a better reality. You have courageous protestors in Iran, a genocide happening in China and the brave Chinese people protesting against a brutal tyrannical government some people in world government and officials in this very country have expressed that we should emulate. It disturbs me that the world is still fighting for freedom because it is what we desire as humans, yet others don’t see it and romanticize the oppressors of others. There is such a distorted view of what are actually corrupt iron grips on power, governments with no accountability. This grip threatens to smash what is in its reach to pieces, but hope is more powerful still.

Every night, I see those images. I see those faces being dragged away or smashed into the ground, and I pray for them. For the ones I see and for the ones I don’t see. I pray they somehow feel God’s presence with them in the dark as they strive for what God created them for– to be free. I want to acknowledge the countries I see on my stat board here on the blog. It has never been the U.S. only. I see you China, Iran, Yemen, Cuba… I see you. I see those closed countries in the Middle East. I see you.

[White paper protests in China, image via Yahoo]

Romans 15:13 says, Our hope comes from the Lord.

I’ve lived a very privileged life. I can’t begin to explain hope and the presence of God to someone who has endured the horrors of North Korea, Siberia, China or the Holocaust. I have only lived the life of an American girl, but I do know that God doesn’t just exist for one part of the world and not for another. No matter where you are, you were born for such a time as this. In some ways, I know I don’t have to explain hope. Many have already found more of it than I have ever held; they have ingested doses of it at levels that have kept them alive. I have heard too many stories of miracles, dreams and rays of light finding people in prisons, dark cells, on boats while being smuggled, in a desert under a sky that spells death. I lean on these stories and know that even in the darkest night, light has found a way.

There are mysteries I can’t unravel, and depths of wisdom I can’t swim in as I have never been thrown into those depths. But in this season, where we think of Christmas and the religious liberty this country offers us to know God deeply and experience Him, I can’t help but think that as we as a society move toward secularism and forms of government that celebrate that same secularism, we plunge ourselves deeper and deeper into a proven mire of despair, confusion and oppression. There is nothing for us there.

I mean have you read the latest in the Balenciaga scandal? That stylist tied to the brand who went viral for her disturbing images of children covered in blood– Lotta Volkova. One wonders how we have come to a place in American society where these disturbing notions are seen as art and not the depravity that they are (involving children, no less).

I sit here looking at slides of news slide past me, and I wonder. Will anything pump the brakes as we race toward our own pool of despair where nothing floats? Can we, in a day where we can’t even define a woman, hold onto opportunity and justice? The legal systems, the fairness, the consequences (you work hard, you pave your way) that made this country great– can we hold onto that? If you haven’t been paying attention, it is fading. The fact is it is unraveling quickly. And if we know Scripture, we know we hold onto these things with an open hand. None of this, in a world tarnished by sin, is made to last. It is by definition unsustainable. We are devouring ourselves. And yet– if an end brings a new beginning, and we trust our future in the hands of a good God who wants to rescue us, then what shall we fear?

My mind turns to the underground Christians in Rome who survived persecution. They communicated in hidden ways and kept spreading the hope they had found. They committed Scripture to memory. I remember them every time I recite a passage or verse from Scripture. I remember the power of hiding His Word in my mind and keeping a song in my heart. I heard recently that Christianity is a singing religion. This is how we have committed the truth of who God is to memory. I think of the underground Christians today.

I realize that people who grew up under other circumstances outside of this country look at me as a bit fantastical and no doubt an outrageous dreamer and believer. It’s true– I grew up with hope like oxygen. I am clinging to it always. Many of us have and are. You see, it hasn’t failed me yet, (so don’t fail me now).

This I know is true: Hope is not in circumstance. My hope is in God, who never fails, despite circumstance. I belong to a faith where a man who tragically lost every person he loved wrote a hymn that says, “It is well with my soul.” While observing no hope, I confirmed that there is something about living with hope that changes absolutely everything, on the inside and on the outside.

If you are reading this abroad, I pray I can share some of my hope with you. As I witness your stand, I am filled with courage and it confirms my hope that Jesus is coming soon. He is coming to flip this on its head.

Hope stands on what is not seen and believes in something beyond what is seen. Take it with you. Hold onto it. My prayers are with you.

Jesus promises to wipe every tear from our eyes. Perhaps there is something hidden in this Bible promise. Maybe this naturally means that those who have endured the most will be in God’s presence the longest. He will sit with them and make all things new.

For now, we cling to hope, we seize every opportunity and stand in resilience.

PS. Fun fact… there has been for years a category on this blog called “hope.” Stick around. We breathe that stuff here and we share.

All-Consuming Fire

[Photo by Hans Isaacson on Unsplash]

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Fire has always been familiar. As someone who grew up camping, I saw it often. We also used it a lot at church gatherings, so there is that. I saw how it would grow into a steady flame, how it warmed food and snacks. I heard stories in its glow. I felt its warmth on cold nights. The crackle was always a bit hypnotic. It was a place of gathering. Not always for friends, but definitely for those who were familiar. I remember moments of silence by a fire and moments where I extended my arms toward it to warm my hands; also moments of laughter and moments of worship (someone always had a guitar, the most portable instrument in the world, I suppose).

Its warmth was real. Its warning of danger was real. Its light was real. In recent years, I felt the yearning to go camping, stronger and stronger. I miss seeing the stars at night, the rustle of the trees, an occasional raccoon stealing sustenance, and the fleece cocoon of a sleeping bag. Mostly, I miss the bonfire moments, sparks flying up to the heavens.

God is described as an all-consuming fire in Scripture. Mostly, it is a description of His holiness. It is also not lost on me that anything that touches fire is radically transformed. God leaves nothing unchanged. These are the things that come to mind on the nights filled with stars, where I take my sticky marshmallow off the knobby stick and wedge it between two graham crackers and a tiny piece of chocolate gets goopy. These are the thoughts I ponder as the fire dies down and the night grows cold. There is a force in the world that doesn’t grow cold or stop burning. His warmth and light are inextinguishable.

Even when the fire has gone out, even when the campgrounds have been far– His warmth that I learned to feel in those moments has never departed.

November 2022 Favorites

“Elon is crashing Twitter, Kanye is exposing the illuminati, Ghislaine is drafting her memoir, Trump is back to causing mayhem, and Biden still doesn’t know he’s been elected. The drama level is so high.” Jessica Kraus (@houseinhabit)

That quote above basically sums it up. November felt like a short month with too much to do. The month started with the anticipation of election day. I was disappointed in the general apathy of the general public, as expected.

The World Cup is weirdly in winter– it just feels wrong. (Rooting for the motherland-Spain). I wrapped up Christmas shopping (I can’t do the anxiety-filled December shopping). The Chosen, as I write this, sits at #3 in the box office, and I am so excited to watch Season 3.

Balenciaga, who earlier cut ties with Kanye due to “antisemitism,” decided it would take the moral high ground and feature a holiday ad campaign that sexualizes children. No celebrities have expressed outrage, of course (also as expected). Jessica Kraus’ coverage of the Weinstein trial has been FIRE. Hulu is onto me and my hopes for a free trial, and every Christmas movie on the platform looks lame (so take that, Hulu!). Back to The Holiday.

Melissa Wood Health has redone its platform, and I am super excited about it. Congrats to Melissa! Been a member now for years and ready to have more fun working out.

We approach deep winter, now. We have had strange warmer weather, so far. Very mild. I hope we see some snow stick at some point. Wouldn’t that be magical? Has it snowed where you are? Buffalo was drowning in snow, just the other day…

Before December takes over with Christmas music full blast, I leave you with my November favorites.

November’s top post was The Libraries.

December awaits…

Quotes

“A truly elegant taste is generally accompanied by excellence of heart.” Fielding

“What is ahead of me is worth healing for.” Nakeia Homer

“Practice not freaking out as you watch the unexpected circumstances God brings unfolding in front of you.” Bob Goff

“Whenever you are fed up with life, start writing; ink is the great cure for all human ills, as I have found out long ago.” C.S. Lewis (On Writing)

“Surround yourself with relentless humans. People who plan in decades, but live in moments. Train like savages, but create like artists. Obsess in work, relax in life. People who know this is finite, and choose to play infinite games. Find people going up mountains. Climb together.” Zach Pogrob

“While the world changes, the cross stands firm.” St. Bruno

“You gotta start believing that your morning commute is cute and fun, that every cup of coffee is the best you’ve ever had. That even the smallest and most mundane things are exciting and new. You have to because that’s when you start truly living. That’s when you look forward to every day.” Gregg Braden

“Be careful what you learn for that is what you will know.” Annie Dillard

“If people are uncomfortable because of your boldness, you’re on the right track.” Bob Goff

“Following Jesus means being constantly misunderstood.” Bob Goff

“It’s time we stopped acting like our failures somehow disqualify us from God’s love, when in reality these setbacks might lead to a keener awareness of it.” (screenshot from my Kindle, I forgot the book).

“Until we believe that life is war, we will not know what prayer is for.” John Piper

“All get what they want; they do not always like it.” C.S. Lewis, The Magicians Nephew

“Ne jamais regretter d’avoir reve trop fort, se tromper est le seul risque– et alors? Demain matin sera un jour nouveau, un jour pour faire autrement s’il le faut, et vivre, vivre.” Charlotte Husson

“Let’s face it: most people who vote are not ‘well informed’. They have little interest even in debate because they’re already convinced that their duty is to vote up and down the entire ticket for one of two corrupted tribes. When it comes to measures that aren’t already designated to a party, all the average voter wants is for someone else to tell them what to do.” Rob Herring

“Yes, hurt people might hurt others. But fortunately, free people free others. Safe people shelter others. Enlightened people illuminate others. And love always wins.” Vex King

“Now more than ever we must pick ourselves up and rise to the occassion.” @therealrukshan

Things

These Wellness Candles look so neat. On my list to try.

The Laila Gohar collab with Byredo.

Articles

Starting an upward spiral.

A Food52 guide to cozy weekends.

People I am Intrigued By

Daphne Oz

[Image via TheHowToZone]

Rob Dyrdek

(loved this podcast with him)

[Image via TSC Podcast]

A Lunar Pull

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Listen, I can’t give you the exact information I read in the almanac, partly because I don’t know it by memory (and the book is across the studio, and I am too lazy to get up), and partly because I have only been reading an almanac for a year. I am dweeby like that, but slow to recall.

One thing I have found most fascinating is the section on planting and the moon. I know, I know. They say there is “no scientific evidence” for planting by the moon, but what people consider “science” is a bit suspect these days. Anecdotal evidence and experience is good enough for me. Isn’t that how the biggest scientific discoveries came to be? People paying attention to patterns emerging over time. And if the people from like Little House on the Prairie lived by it, who am I to argue with that? I mean, please, I get my produce from Gourmet Fresh.

In an almanac, you will find that there is a description of the fact that there are days in the month, where because of the moon, you plant above ground. Then, on other days, you plant below ground. And then, in another part of the monthly cycle, you let things be still, and you prune and clean.

Just like the moon, there are seasons that pull us out or they draw out our energy and talent in different ways. Some seasons, they pull us in. They are seasons of nurishment and preparation. And in other moments, we just need to be still and clear away any distractions, baggage and clutter.

The moon is an interesting friend. She is one thing we can all look up at, and we see the same moon. Her light connects us all; her pull is felt by all.

Just Following

I saw the image that captures a scene from The Chosen (above), and I found it to be so profound.

We live in a world where we treasure certainty. When I speak to people in my age bracket, it seems to be the thing everyone wants. Everyone wants to be sure of something, maybe because it promises authority over another or it promises to remove the discomfort we fear.

I think this is why so many people went along with the pandemic policy disasters that were so heavily promulgated. This desire to have concrete answers (and the pretending to have them) is something one sees in many religious circles. We pride ourselves thinking we have all the answers. There is an arrogance to that.

And yet, to me, Jesus doesn’t ask us to be sure about all things and to have all the answers. When we look at the men who walked with God physically, they certainly didn’t. It was as James so truthfully tells John— he was convicted of who Jesus is, but that didn’t mean he understood all of His words or why He did things.

What if we simplified things and simply held onto the fact that we know who He is. What if we were humble enough to accept that there is so much that doesn’t make sense to us, but that is ok. Our role is to follow Him because we know who He is and where that ultimately leads, which is eternal life. Everything in between will be filled with uncertainty and be incomprehensible at times. And that is okay; we are mere mortals.

We just need to keep walking with Him. We listen. We observe, and we just keep following.

The Libraries

[Image via The University of Cambridge]

Thinking of autumn reminds me of wandering libraries. I have wandered many. There was the large one in Gainesville with all of the movie/DVD shelves. I would browse, waiting for my computer ticket number to come up so I could check my email at one of their computers. There was the large one in Ocala that had shelves and shelves of magazines. I would pick one up and sit at one of the large tables to flip through and dream. I loved their Spanish books section where I discovered Jorge Bucay and Paulo Coelho. There was the mystery book section where the covers always intrigued me, but never enough.

Then, there was the university library. It had these magical shelves that moved. I would take the footnotes from a lecture and look up the books to read them. I could renew them endlessly because no one cared. I loved the basement with maps, and the quiet lost rooms with rare books and wooden detailing in the walls. Then, there was the law library. It was illuminated by the soft glow of the table lamps, silence masking the savagery of some who would come to rip out pages to hoard knowledge.

No matter what library I found myself in, autumn was a season of knowledge and books. I stare at my shelves in my studio and smile. My shelves don’t move, and my books have all of their pages, but the stack awaits me still.

October 2022 Favorites

[Kate Moss and Johnny Depp via Pinterest]

Elon Musk tweeted, “The bird is freed.” Is it really? The Twitter deal is complete. (Insert Honey Badger laughter here– if you know, you know).

The month felt like it went by fast. The nights are longer and darker. Winter is at our doorstep. This month was more of a You’ve Got Mail month, but we are headed to the months where The Holiday movie is appropriate. I have grown to have an appreciation for the colder nights that invite us into more rest.

This month, I made a bean soup I am completely addicted to, from Rainbow Plant Life. Find it here. You’re welcome.

I reflected on wonder and autumn light. I am also moving through a writing course ever so slowly and learning about ayurveda from One Commune courses. We are closer to election day, and the more I speak with people and ask questions, the more I realize a good chunk of the electorate is quite uninformed (or misinformed). And I am not talking about points we disagree on, I am saying they literally don’t know facts and what people running actually stand for in their own words. It’s like we live life on assumptions these days. God helps us. I think it is like everything in life, we tend to believe what we want rather than giving an earnest glance at what is actually right in front of us.

I have a stack of Southern Living and Country Living magazines I want to flip through. I want to be ready to soak up all of the amazing fall photography.

Christmas is on the radar, and I am thinking of advent devotionals and candles. Memorable events from the month included a date night at a favorite restaurant and progress with wedding planning. Yes!

My goal for November is to wake up earlier, to wear more of my closet and plan ahead, and to make more soups. Does anyone have a potato soup recipe that can rival Outback’s? If so, drop it in the comments. I am interested! (Yes, I totally just made a pivot to talk about soup again).

As usual, I compile my favorite things from the things I read and watched throughout the month. You can find these below. We had no top post for October. It was a three-way tie among Autumn Morning on the Train, How to Shake off the Week, and My French Library. Thank you always for reading and for your lovely messages. We take a step toward winter, together. Off we go.

Quotes

There is a tide in the affairs of men.
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures. -Shakespeare

“I hold a beast, an angel, and a madman in me.” Dylan Thomas

“Without discipline, you live as a shell of the person you know you can be. And that’s a horrible way to live.” Grant Cardone

“Living a spiritual life isn’t about moving past the pain and suffering, but instead embracing it.” Gabrielle Bernstein

“Why else are we here if not to live with unreasonable passion for things?” Unknown

“Sometimes, I want to scream at New York City, but then I just walk the ten blocks home.” Delia Ephron

“If a person doesn’t have self-discipline they won’t hold others accountable.” Erwin McManus

“The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances. If there is any reaction, both are transformed.” C.G. Jung

“Speak with honesty, think with sincerity, and act with integrity.” Unknown

“Someone with half your IQ is making 10x as you because they aren’t smart enough to doubt themselves.” Ed Latimore

“People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of their character.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

“This is the only poem I can read. I am the only one who can write it. I didn’t kill myself when things went wrong. I didn’t turn to drugs or teaching. I tried to sleep. But when I couldn’t sleep, I learned to write. I learned to write what might be read on nights like this by one like me.” Leonard Cohen

“What is a rebel? A man who says no.” Albert Camus

“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.” Galileo Galilei

“Create a culture in which it is okay to make mistakes and unacceptable not to learn from them.” Ray Dalio

“Without God, there is no virtue because there is no prompting of the conscience… without God, there is a coarsening of the society; without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure.” Ronald Reagan

“Johnny told me: ‘We go out to dinner, put on a dress.’ I replied, ‘I do not have a dress.’ I was in a satin dress to the floor, and he picked up scissors and cut it to its knees. I still keep this piece. The same as our love. It was real.” Kate Moss

“Our hearts were meant to beat together, not the same.” Bob Goff

“Scribbled secret notebooks, and wild typewritten pages for your own joy.” Jack Kerouac

“When we don’t know our Master’s heart, we bury in fear what we should multiply in faith.” Lisa Bevere

Things

It was Kanye’s month. Kitson Los Angeles made a “Team Kanye” shirt. He was everywhere this month, in good and bad headlines. Every week, there was something new. I appreciate Jessica Kraus’ analysis of what is happening on the Ye front. It applies to more than just the Kanye scandals:

“There are a handful of valuable conversations we could be opening up right now about racism and mental health but instead we go straight to what is easiest: call out, cancel & divide. I refuse. So if you are tagging me, feeling justified in calling me terrible things because I didn’t repost the prescribed slides, I want to say that I see (and reject) your methods. I do not support antisemitism in any form, but I do believe conversations over cancellations is the key to progress through unity.

We should absolutely be talking about why antisemitism still exists today, but also, maybe, why black on black crime is so celebrated and profitable in the music industry if we are disgusted by race-inflicted stereotypes perpetuating violence. Things are complicated. Social media wants you to believe you can solve it with a recycled post, but we all know it takes us nowhere. You want Adidas to cancel Kanye? Fine, but then what? The divide (especially during elections) only profits the politicians who quite literally DGAF about any of us. Pay attention to what is decided for us. This is bigger than Kanye and an offensive tweet. It always is.”

The piece by the Canadian ethics professor for the Democracy Fund, all about COVID, the lies and whether we will get accountability.

Intrigued by

Laila Gohar (food artist): I have written about her many times in the past. She still captivates me. She is one of those people who is an original. She was featured in The New Yorker recently, here.

Charlotte Husson: Writer, fashionista, founder and cancer survivor. I am currently reading her book, L’impossible est mon espoir.

Is November calling you? Will Twitter be revolutionized? (Maybe slowly?) Will Kanye behave and stop provoking? (Probably never?) Will we elect the right people for the job? (I hope so). I guess we will have to wait and see.

Some months are for questions and others have answers. Every month brings a new beginning and a clean slate.

How to Shake Off the Week

“Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy.” Psalm 126:5

Today was a rough day. I won’t go into the details. I will pick up where I left off on Monday. But as I felt the overwhelm and edginess that comes with the feeling of being chewed and spit out, I sat on my couch and reviewed the last couple of passages I had read over the past month. My eyes fell on this verse again in Psalm 126. It meant something to me then, and still does.

I keep wondering what the recipe is for shaking off the week before Sabbath. How do we rest and forget about the insanity we just got dragged through? I think I learned the answer tonight. As I was studying the Bible, my mind drifted for a second to my worries. I got lost in my thoughts in the silence I have been craving all day.

I then thought, what if Jesus (and yes, I pictured Him like the one on The Chosen) was sitting across from me right now? How would He look at me? What would He say?

I thought of the kindness I would see in His eyes. The compassion, and the reminder that so many of my worries are resolvable or out of my control and in His. I would realize this was nothing compared to eternity. And suddenly, my perspective shifted. I felt focused. I felt free. And I felt loved.

The week lifted like a fog, and the sun rays warmed me and pierced right through. This exercise reminded me, He is near; I know this. So maybe, I should act like it.

Scavenging

By: Gabriela Yareliz

It had been a rainy day and the bus was delayed. I was the only one waiting for it. Maybe the transit people somehow knew it was just me and decided I wasn’t worth stopping for. Idiots, I thought to myself. I looked around me as if there was some hidden camera recording my ennui. No camera, and still, no bus. I looked down at my brown boots, the tiny yellow leaves carpeting the concrete below. As I looked down, I heard the sirens at a distance, and then closer, and closer, their red glow was the only bright light apart from a dull street lamp that was struggling for its life. I caught the reflection of the bright lights on the metallic silver tape striping a disfigured orange traffic barrel. I was exhausted. I glanced over at a shop two storefronts down. They had outdoor furniture, scarecrows and mums decorating the sidewalk just in front. I eyed the chair and decided to claim it for the time being.

I walked over as if asking for a favor, glancing back furtively. Still no bus in sight. I grabbed the plastic green chair that was on display and sat down. I dubbed it my public bench. I relaxed into the plastic that was hammocking my bottom, and moved my backpack to my lap. I was now part of the display. Night had fallen early, reminding us that winter was on its way. The mums shone like little suns we had felt absent during the overcast rainy day. On that cool autumn night, they warmed me somehow. They seemed to smile sympathetically, offering an apology for the weather, and I accepted their humble offer.

[Fiction inspired by a scavanger assignment for my Autumn Light (Beth Kempton) writing course]

Seeking Wonder

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Oh yes, the season is here. The other day, I woke up and heard the faint bouncing of a basketball at 7 am. Probably the cute Asian kid that lives next door. It was that rhythmic bounce on a slab of concrete in the middle of their tiny backyard. Their net is right on the fence area, which means that sometimes, when the kid misses, I have seen him climb the fence to retrieve the ball. The morning was cold. I did not want to leave my bed’s warmth. I peeked out from the covers and saw the foggy and chilly sunrise emerging.

I remembered those chilly days in PE when we would be doing the same, bouncing a basketball. I remember running laps outside and how the cold air would make your throat burn if you didn’t breathe properly. The side aches, the feet pounding the pavement, the wet grass on both sides of the track.

I’ve been remembering a lot. I came across an image on Pinterest, sort of vintage, of children peering into a toy store that is ready for Christmas. It reminded me of Samantha, from American Girl, when she first sees the doll she wants in the window. I remembered how, in this season, the toy companies would flood us with commercials and catalogs so that we would include our little desires on Christmas lists to Santa. If I had to use one word to describe winter sunrises and toy store windows adn the excitement of the season– it would be “wonder.”

Here’s a question, one that has nothing to do with materialism– when was the last time you felt wonder? And I don’t mean for a new purse, shoes or a new toy. No. I mean true wonder, where you were left sort of mouth-wide-open and impressed?

If it has been a while, slow down, pay close attention and be present. Feel the life pulsating through you and see the light around you. Leave something to chance. Remove a bit of the hardness and cynicism that settles in occasionally, and open the heart and emotions to what could surprise you.

It is the season of wonder.