The Circle of Life

It's been a quiet and restful weekend for mom, nausea seems to be her only complaint, but meals are staying put and energy is steady. Some delightful guests put a smile on her face Saturday afternoon, and were a welcome diversion from the doldrums of chemo recuperation! Steve drove up from Houston for a few days, and then Travis and Kelli brought Autumn over for a hug and some lovin'!

There's nothing like a little one to lighten your load. Mom and Dad are blessed with 8 grandchildren, 2 beautiful granchildren-in-law, and 2 great-granchildren. 

Such innocence, pure and sweet. Both Autumn and Skylar have an uncanny ability to melt our hearts and smooth away all the troubles.

  A smile, a laugh, a shy turn of the head, and then tiny hands wrapped around our necks... we're goners, everytime!

With the new Lion King movie out this week, the ads and commercials are everywhere. The theme song, Circle of Life, beats a constant tatoo in my head.. Especially poignant at this point of time in our family. We have young ones, just beginning to find their place and ones who have traveled the path, a circle unwinding, leading us with surety to a place of rest, of faith and of peace:

From the day we arrive on the planet

And blinking, step into the sun
There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round

It's the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life

Of course, the other song dancing through my head is "Hakuna Matata!" That's also from the Lion King, sung by the Meerkat, Timon, and Pumba, the Wart Hog. It means "no worries for the rest of your days." It's their problem-free philosophy. And it really has a catchy, toe-tapping beat. Just what you need after crying your eyes out with Circle of Life. Let's hear it for the cartoon musical!

Ok, maybe I've watched just a little too much Disney today...

Hakuna Matata!