Life has been rather crazy for me lately.  The last year, really, has been crazy challenging.  If it’s not one thing, it certainly is another, it seems.  And that ONE THING is something big, bad and ugly, and appears to be it for a while, at least.
As a consequence, “play” has definitely gone by the wayside.  My focus and energy has been on survival, and I’ve forgotten what it means to relax, chat, smile and laugh.  Life has recognized this, apparently, and has presented me with the opportunity to begin to play a little bit more, only very recently.  These fortuitous occasions for play are exciting and enticing, but also entirely unfamiliar.

An amazingly friendly and warm-hearted person by nature, I’ve also always been extremely shy.   Timid, quiet, and reserved are appropriate descriptions and depictions of my personal life, while dynamic, opportunistic, and engaging would be more accurate for me professionally.  Thus, “play dates” have never been a part of my routine or even my language, so to speak.

As Life speaks and urges me to grow and move beyond my self-imposed reserve and boundaries, I am discovering a whole new world of bounty and joy.  Simple walks around the block, afternoon and evening tea engagements, and even a dinner rendezvous this month have all been tremendous blessings.  A new dimension has been born in my life.  Thank you.

Seven wonders of the world this month, in fact.  Seven different wonderful blessings in the form of friends and “play dates”…seven different invitations.

True Grace, I believe.  Or, perhaps, just Life – the way it was meant to be.

Thank you, my seven wonders – for the enlightenment – for the play dates.