Christmas Light Connection

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After the tree is decorated, one of my favorite things to do is sit in front of the tree in the evening. I prefer to be alone. It helps me to more fully appreciate the quiet and to notice the subtle things that might be missed otherwise.

Though my children prefer to set the lights on the hectic and energetic  "Fast Chasing" mode, I will take my time cycling through the controller to find that perfect setting.

Flickering? No.

Slow chasing? Still too chaotic.

Steady? Boring.

Ahhhhh, Slow Burn. There it is. The mesmerizing, hypnotizing allure of the string of lights drawing me under a soothing spell of ebb and flow.

Why was this the first image that came to my mind when @calumam assigned our first theme of Connection for @buddyup's Drop in the Ocean? Take a look at a string of lights, and try to understand what I perceive.

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Attached to intertwined strings, these tiny bulbs are completely dependent on one another. If one burns out, the whole string is affected. On the Slow Burn setting, they alternate between burning bright and slowly dimming. Are we left in darkness when the lights begin to fade? No. As one fades, its neighbor takes the new role of shining. Give and take. Sharing the load. Mindful of its responsibility and resting in its role.

There is also nothing quite so sad as viewing a malfunctioning string of lights. From my perspective, I always imagine that there was a mutiny of sorts. Some rogue bulb decided to take shirk his responsibilities and put the whole string at risk. A sad, little intermittent flicker remains the testament to something that was intended to be right, but went so very wrong.

But when it's right, what a scene to behold! Beauty. Peace. Dependence. Community.

Connection.

Maybe, you don't see all that. Perhaps you just see a jumble of lights doing what they were programmed to do. If so, that's ok. We all have differing perspectives.

If you do see what I see, might I dare to invite such a kindred spirit to join our humble home in @buddyup? You can shine your light next to mine. We can all glow together.

It might sound cliché, but in @buddyup, we all grow together.