Let us go on, cheerfully enough

Every year we have been
witness to it: how the
world descends

into a rich mash, in order that
it may resume.
And therefore
who would cry out

to the petals on the ground
to stay,
knowing as we must,
how the vivacity of what was is married

to the vitality of what will be?
I don't say
it's easy, but
what else will do

if the love one claims to have for the world
be true?

So let us go on, cheerfully enough,
this and every crisping day,

though the sun be swinging east,
and the ponds be cold and black,
and the sweets of the year be doomed.

Mary Oliver
In the Days of Descending Darkness

Igor Oleynikov

It's snowing in Seattle early this morning, although the forecast says it will soon turn to rain. But a pretty sight right now, looking out at the neighbor's Christmas lights through snow instead of rain.  John left his truck at home and took my Honda "Little Beep" to be on the safe side headed down the Admiral hill and over the West Seattle bridge. Fortunately, it's one of these days when I don't need to stray far from home.

Even in the slushy darkness at 5:20, he left the house in a happier mood today because he won't be going back to work until 2013. He's on vacation for the rest of the week, and then Boeing's usual holiday kicks in. Today is also a big pot luck, and more eating than work goes on at Boeing Field.