I’m up high in the world, in Aspen…actually 12 miles from Aspen in Basalt…visiting my son and his family. The sun is brightly and strongly shining on my face right now. Sunglasses might help with the deep furrow that is getting deeper between my brows but then I might not be able to see the screen and if I get up and away from this writing I might not get back.

A couple months ago I planned this trip, though it was to begin a week later. My Christmas trip away to visit my son here and my daughter in Arizona. I took full advantage of bragging rights as I told friends that I was going to Aspen and Scottsdale for the holiday. Holding my pinky high. I get to do this easily as my son is a pilot and I fly the very friendly skies free of charge. Every time I do this, I wonder why I don’t do this more often and so I quietly make a resolution for the coming year to get on a plane and fly to as many places as his airline goes, packing my bag of Verbal Remedies tricks, becoming a traveling saleswoman. Selling peace and love and pledges to the earth. Hopefully I will also create an opportunity to speak to groups and organizations, daring them to live the life they dream of, sharing the gifts they were born to give.

That sounds pretty good. I have some very trustworthy people who will look after my house and dogs. I’d been waiting to do something like this until that man of my dreams walked into my life. Well he hasn’t walked in. I imagine him off in some other part of the world than I am in, wondering why I don’t walk into his life. One of these days we are bound to bump into each other and see the light in each other’s eyes and we’ll be off to the races, as whoever “they” are say. Until that day, the show must go on…as some of the other “they” say.

In the meantime…I urge myself as I urge others to live life with what life is offering today, in this moment. Gobble it up because there just are no guarantees that we have tomorrow or that we get to do this again. This time last year, my friend Markus was watching my dogs as I traveled. This year Markus is gone of his own accord. No matter what kind of fabulously sacred life he might be living on the other side of this life, he’s not here any longer to pick up his little girl and twirl her around. His twinkly eyes and easy laugh are only memories now. No matter how I might justify his death as something that was part of the plan of life, he did a stupid thing in committing suicide. There are a lot of people who experienced great sadness and must work through their own guilt feelings of not having been enough for him.

Not to belabor the point much longer I still have to say to anyone who is reading this and those you might touch, LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH, PRAY, SAVOR. Be the gifts you bring! Be the Christmas gift no amount of money can buy. For yourself and for all of us. Make a resolution to live the rest of your life in love with it, giving back in kind for the unimaginable gift of it.