Celebrate Life!

"Life is a celebration. 

Lord I'm gonna celebrate.

Life is a celebration. 

So come on now and celebrate, celebrate.

Life is a celebration. Look it's a revelation.

So celebrate now. Celebrate life!"

- Rick Springfield

Our glorious friends - Matt & Neal - again hosted a weekend long celebration of Mr. G's birthday; in their stunning treehouse at the edge of Lake Michigan. The guest list: 3 married couples, 2 French Bulldogs, a Min-Pin and a Coco. We made our plans months ago. Little did we know then that our gathering would occur six days after Orlando. What to do, in the wake of unspeakable hate? It wasn't even a question; not really. We chose to celebrate love, celebrate life...

Pete's Posse

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Life is a celebration. Lord I want to celebrate.

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In Orlando's aftermath, we six, along with most of the world, were shocked, sickened and saddened. We, along with most of the world, grieved for the beautiful precious lives of the brutally lost and horrifically injured. We, along with most of the world, felt enraged, afraid and...helpless. But here's the thing:

Sometimes (maybe often times) this world can be a scary place, seemingly bursting at the seams with people who espouse and do hateful terrible things. But I (still) truly believe that the vast majority of us, who inhabit this beautiful Earth, are kind and good. And we are the lucky ones. In the midst of unspeakable pain and tragedy (we spit in its eye!) we gain strength and sustenance from those who love us and by giving in kind to those we love. And we, in times of tragedy, trouble and strife - willingly, freely and fully lend that strength, sustenance and love to complete strangers. We find joy in the simplest of things - an 8th grade volleyball game, birthday cake, a drive through the countryside, time with friends, a good meal, the bubbles in a glass of champagne, the grit of sand between our toes. And the accumulated positive karmic weight of these simple things, by their very existence, and our insistence that these things continue to exist, change our world for the better - and always will. In the meantime, and always, we will continue to choose to celebrate life.

Vivre! Rire! Aimer!

Temple