Home for one day, and I am on the road, that is, in the air again. This time, I am flying to Oregon for my grandson’s #11 with the bonus of my other grandson’s band concert while I’m in Bend.

This first week of Advent, Dd is for Delight.

I could have this trip paired with my New Mexico trip because, oh yes, I’m retired.

I’m on a two hour pause at the Denver airport between flights. The Denver airport has a wonderful outside deck. I’d packed my coat, so I was imagining a quick outside peek before waiting inside where it’s warm. Except.

They have fires on the airport deck, and it’s toasty warm! Or at least warm enough.

Delight!

Awaiting my flight.

Pausing by a fire. Surprise!

Remaining with sunset beauty.

Advent blue lights illuminate the runways. Delight upon delight.

If you are following this blog, you may have picked up that I am going through an alphabet phase.

Aa is for Advent

Bb is for Beauty.

All pondered from my Advent context words of await, pause, beauty, remain, surprise.

My best traveling friend and I have had an ongoing dialogue about what the Advent Cc should be.

On this eve of the first Sunday in Advent, here are some places to pause with our letter Cc.

Cc is for coffee (and golden milk) every morning at Coffee Apothecary. Pause.

Cc is for centering prayer each morning, candle lit, Advent blue. Await.

Cc is for cinnamon toast every morning in front of the fire. Remain.

Cc is for companionship and chocolate cake in the evening. Surprise.

Cc is for cold and crisp on a snowy midday. Beauty.

Cc is for chili, of course. And a new Aa is for Advent word, delicious.

This A is for Advent Thursday is brought to us by the letter Bb.

In my preAdvent reading by Emily Lund and Shannon Dackus, I was inspired to rethink the words we use for Advent.

Faith, Hope, Love, and Peace are the words we use most often for the four weeks of Advent. These are very good words.

Emily and Shannon offered some new words: Surprise. Await. Remain. Pause. And may I add, today, Beauty.

It’s unexpectedly good to have a pause in New Mexico this Advent. Advent in northern New Mexico was a rhythm of my life so very many years, and isn’t it a gift when we can return to something and see how much we missed it, and, yes, need it for our soul’s health?

Part of the Advent pause in Taos is how very easy it is to find beauty, particularly in pause mode. Beauty is a need for my soul, and so I am filling beyond the brim.

Today we are invited to take an Advent pause and remain in the great beauty that is already about us. Quotidian beauty everywhere.

The retirement travel continues. I was mainly home in November, and it was a good stop. I had time to catch up with my home life, and it was an unexpected joy. I hadn’t realized how much of my brain was filled with working until that spot emptied.

I have four trips planned before the end of the year. This trip is a New Mexico lark. My friend Abby has a gallery opening this weekend, and I’m flying over to celebrate with her.

For years my best friend and I traveled to New Mexico every Advent. When my grandson was born in the middle of Advent, we moved our annual trip to New Mexico until Epiphany. It feels like a reunion of sorts to have a few days in New Mexico during Advent. Although Advent doesn’t begin until Sunday, I’ve transferred the season a few days early.

I’m ending the long green season of Pentecost today. The short blue season of Advent is upon us.

What will this season of quiet, pause, and open ears and hearts bring?