Steven

Living in his shadow is actually quite warm.
Tucked in close beside him, right underneath his arm.
I could live forever, quite happy and content,
Living with the title of "my husband's ornament".
Shadows mean for some, a life of solitude and cold.
His shadow means to me a life of warmth as I grow old.
I'll never leave his shadow, Not willingly you see.
Because living in his shadow...well...it means the world to me.
-Angela Ianni, 2008

Writing has always seemed a more expressive means of communicating for me. I get to write, re-write and edit my thoughts until the words express exactly what I am feeling in that moment. On the eve of my husband's birthday, I felt it necessary to break this old poem out and publicly announce, through my writing,  that I am very grateful for his existence in the world and to let him know that he has forever changed mine.

I love you Steven.

Happy Birthday.

Candle Opera

Sexy. Elegant. Luminous. Mysterious.

No, I am not describing a woman, however, it is interesting to me that the same words used to describe a candle can also be used to describe a woman. Think about it. They both illuminate. They both bring light into a place where there would have been none otherwise; be that light in a room, a mood, a life or elsewhere...but alas, I digress. 

I love candles. There is something very elegant, sophisticated and warm about gatherings of lit candles placed around the house. They take an otherwise imperfect atmosphere and elevate it to a level beyond natural means...not to mention what candle light does for a woman's skin...and body. The warm glow from a candle softens all of our flaws and imperfections and makes us a more perfect version of ourselves. If I could live by candle light my entire life, I gladly would.

When Darkness Falls

Imagine. It's nighttime in your house. The crickets are chirping. There is a full moon hanging in the sky. The temperature is about seventy degrees out and the mosquitoes have not amassed just yet. The children are asleep and all is well with the world. What are you going to do with that hour before you climb into bed? Will you turn on the television and numb your brain with whatever the networks have prepared for the masses? Or, will you open a window and a bottle of wine (or perhaps the tea box), breathe in the night air, enjoy a good book...maybe settle down with a loved one?
All too often we forget to slow down and enjoy the environment around us. We get so wrapped around the goings on of our day that we forget to end it properly. Home is not meant to be a place to carry in the stresses from outside. It is a place for rest, for relaxation. A place to find warmth, love and solitude. In the grand scheme of things, we will choose to look fondly back on those nights devoted to ourselves and our loved ones...not those devoted to the remote control.