le froid dans les Cantons de l'Est...

It makes sense for Di and I to get out of Dodge over the Thanksgiving weekend: too much craziness and the whole Black Friday crap has become overwhelming and depressing. So, we've started to explore the quiet joys of Quebec's Eastern Townships. There are a host of beautiful small communites - almost all are French speaking - so it is a chance to chill, explore another world that is lovely to us, and rest without the BS of contemporary America. For most of my adult life, I was a die-hard citizen of the USA. I felt like Bonhoeffer during the rise of the Nazis: if I want to participate in the healing of my homeland, I have to stick it out during the worst of times. So, I did. But now, maybe because I'm older and weary, I need a break so two things warrant a comment:

+ First, we are Francofonies. We can ad lib French for a bit - and stumble our way through key conversations - but our ability to really communicate is limitted. Still, it gives us a chance to listen carefully and practice speaking French in small doses. More than ever I bellieve this is an essential discipline for those of us who abide in the USA: listening carefully and NOT being in charge is a valuable spiritual and cultural lesson, so we get up here as often as we can.

+ Second, this is a beautiful part of God's creation in any season but especially grand in the early days of winter. I used to despise winter, too damn cold, and my feet always got wet. But I've learned to eat some of my discomfort and get good cold weather gear. Right now, there's about two inches of white powder on the ground with the possibility of more to come while we're here. We don't have any agenda except to be open to whatever comes our way. We'll wander both Sherbrooke and Magog over the next few days - some time in the local woods, too - and maybe tour three or four other little communities. It is an ongoing blessing.

So, yet again this year as our wider family gathers for their traditional gatherings, we'll do so contemplatively. In solitude. Because that just seems to work better for our dispostions. If you don't hear much from us over the weekend, this is why. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.