In my book of quotes for every day, today’s quote is “Laughter is sunshine; it chases winter from the human face,” Victor Hugo. Isn’t that a beautiful way to describe laughter. Love that description and I love to laugh. Laughter is happiness music from the heart. I thought about that while I was trying not to laugh as I ate a piece of apple pie with Penelope staring me down and licking her lips with each bite I took.

Beautiful day to be alive and spending the day on Mother Earth. The day is so pretty and crisp in its winterness, robin egg blue sky, clear and cloudless. Father Sky didn’t use any of his pastel sticks to draw clouds, letting the blue sky canvas enjoy its unmarred blueness. I looked for the moon but he didn’t stay up too late today. Mother Nature is blowing a cool breeze, the wind chimes pounding out a winter symphony, the bird feeders full of purple finches and crimson and fawn brown cardinals. The little wren, his chest pumped out with song, is serenading his lover from the porch bannister. The bamboo are getting an aerobic work out bending and swaying in time with the banging wind chimes. The green of the bamboo fronds against the azure sky is a beautiful picture of contrasting colors. The velvet faces of my colorful pansies are staring at the sun soaking up her warmth.

The sunset was glorious late afternoon, a pageant stage sketched and painted in pinky-peach and golden hues. The sun, dressed in a formal gown of watermelon pink, beamed her rays in blinding bright white walking down the horizon on the arm of Father Sky. Mother Nature used her watercolors to shade the horizon a golden honey, making lighter brush strokes as she swept the color up and blended it into the high blue sky. As the sun turned off the day’s light, Mother Nature painted a faint wash of aqua and pale orange sherbet along the sky line that faded as the twilight silently crept over the horizon. The old oak trees’ black silhouettes stood tall in the twilight, guarding the day’s end and softly welcoming the night with its luminous moon and twinkling stars.

Could not find the moon tonight when I went out at dark later to walk Penelope. Finally noticed Mr. First Quarter Moon shining shyly through the slender leaves in the tops of the tall bamboo stalks. He was luminous but bashful as he slowly floated to his stage high in the night sky. Love this quote, “The night walked down the sky with the moon holding her hand,” Lyla K. Pearson. But I think of the night as masculine.

I noticed the stars were shining prettily in the navy sky. Not a lot of sky jewels but the ones I see are beaming their lights from the heavens. Made me think of a quote I recently read by Edith Wharton. “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” I’m not sure if I’m a candle or a mirror. I think God and our faith put a glow in our hearts, a warmth that manifests in how we go about living our lives. The candles burn brightly, hot with their flames. The mirror reflects the warmth and distributes it. A candle’s flame is a symbol of God and his presence and power. “When God comes into your life, He lights a candle in your soul,” Anita Bryant.

When we step into the darkness and troubles of life, God is our light. Our faith in the Lord is our light, spreading the warmth of God’s love. With kindness and compassion, we can be a mirror that reflects the light of God’s love. Our words and actions mirror our Christianity. God is the candlelight of our lives. Let’s be the mirror that reflects his light.

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” — Desmond Tutu