De-LIGHT-Full

    I was listening to a podcast the other day (The Growing Edge), an interview of Ross Gay, who wrote the New York Times bestseller, The Book of Delights. 

 Upon contemplation of his 47th birthday, he decided his life needed more wonder, attention and appreciation focused on the small things. He began to seek out these “ordinary” wonders and write a daily short essay for the next year.  

  First I thought, I want to read this book! Mr Ross is a renowned poet, essayist, black husband and father. His short daily essays are a delight — heart wrenching, funny, modern, timely, universal, poetical, philosophical. 

  I love them.  

  As I read, something began to build in my mind. This toughest, craziest, most tumultuous year of my existence could use a grand-gesture finish. Wouldn’t it be great to top it off with something positive?  Like Mr Ross, to commit to looking for something Delightful every day and to honor it with a few words or a photograph? And what better timing than the season of Advent, Christmas, and a brand new year in sight?   

Yup, I decided, I’m in!  

  Here I am on December first with today’s Delight: a never-seen-before, unnamed, gorgeous butterfly or moth.  

  Weeks after butterflies were gone for the summer, there were five of them flitting around in the sun on an azalea bush on the edge of a woods I walk by most every day.  Surprise, I think, can be an important element of Delight.  They were flitting so fast my phone couldn’t focus on one before it disappeared from the frame, but I did manage this one photograph  (It doesn’t do it justice; the colors were iridescent, coppery and turquoise.).  

  As quickly as I came upon them they were gone.  That’s the way of Delights, I think.  Here and gone way too fast.  

  I’d be Delighted if you wanted to share something today 

that brought a 

smile to your face and a lift to your heart.