Like everyone, I was hoping to see the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. I was disappointed when it was not visible, as it was a cloudy night. The next day a talented local photographer, Kevin Ting, captured it.
But of course, that is where this story begins.
The photo not only captures the sky and planets, it is centered on a town, my town. I keep looking at this photo. I am drawn in, because the lights of the town are as lovely as the lights of the planets.
Far and near, from the universe to a small town, they both come come together. The common denominator is light. And light gives us hope.
Light and Hope.
This is a year of hope, so I am ever grateful for light. I notice and appreciate lights more than I ever did. Somehow it gives me hope. I find myself adding more lights to my home. My tree is ‘lights only’ and fires in the fireplace are more beautiful than ever.
I carefully watch children this year. They already have hope. Actually, they never lost it. They are the beacons of light. They always notice light. A flashlight is the greatest toy. Using a light table to view objects is wondrous for children. We take for granted looking at stars and a full moon. Children don’t. It is a beautiful miracle for them to look into the sky.
Yesterday driving home, I saw a beautiful sunset. By the time I got home there was a full moon. I paid attention.
Children see the light and always have hope. Children are our greatest teachers, especially this year.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I rise. -Maya Angelou-
Happy New Year!
Jennie
A Teacher's Reflections 
Happy new year, Jennie 🥰🥰
A Happy New Year to you, Ritu! 💕
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Beth!
Happy New Year Jennie. Keep looking for the light, especially the light in the eyes of those children. 2021 will be brighter.
I love this! Thank you, Dan. I certainly will. Best to you.
Happy New Year Jennie. That first picture should be put on cards and saved. It is serenity and peace and hope.
I agree! Isn’t it just perfect? It is all you say.
Beautifully written Jennie! Happy New Year!🤗
Thank you so much, Kim! 🥰
Beautiful. Happy New Year, Jennie.
Thank you, John. Happy New year to you.
We could not see the special star either, due to low cloud. But the photo shows it off well, and your town reminds me of “It’s a wonderful life’.
Light and hope go together, but the children still need you to appreciate their wonder.
Happy New Year, dear Jennie.
Best wishes, Pete.
I guess the photo does resemble “It’s a Wonderful Life.” That’s so nice! Yes, children need to appreciate their wonder. Thank you, Pete. Happy New Year.
Your local photographer is great. He made a beautiful image of the conjunction and your town.
I love the message of hope and light, Jennie. It’s wonderful and timely.
Happy New Year to you and yours! 🥰
Thank you so much, Deborah! 😊
Happy New Year to you. When we were Quakers we learned a song “Walk in the Light.” It is the credo of the Quakers.(How we went from Quaker to Catholic is a long story. But it turns out our spirituality fits in both places.)
I must look up that song. I always loved church songs, and I find myself singing them at the oddest of times. They just pop up. I went to my cousin’s Quaker wedding. I could hardly take my eyes off the old church and its beautiful gigantic windows. The panes must have been at least 20 over 20. I don’t remember any songs at the wedding. Walking in the light is what children do naturally. We adults need to do that more often. Thank you, Elizabeth. Happy New Year.
You are very welcome.http://quakerismtoday.blogspot.com/2008/10/quaker-song-walk-in-light.html
Thank you!
Beautiful and a bright light of inspiration! Happy New Year to you your students and all your loved ones?🍂🍮🍂🍮🔔🍮💓🎼🥂
Thank you so much! 😀
Lovely photos and thoughts. Healthy and happy new year to you, Jennie!
Thank you, Becky! A healthy and happy new year to you, too.
Beauty is all around us if we just open our eyes to see it. Lovely post, Jennie. Maybe it will get people thinking more about how lucky we are to live in this beautiful world and take better care of it.
Thank you, Anneli. You are so right. It is all there for us to see. I do hope people think about how lucky there are. We have a beautiful world that we need to take care of.
So true!
Happy New Year Jennie!! Heres a song for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC_lHBvNdGA&feature=emb_logo
Happy New Year Jennie!! Heres a song for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC_lHBvNdGA&feature=emb_logo
Love the song, Darlene! Thanks so much and Happy New Year!!
😍
Happy New Year, Jeannie, and thanks for lighting up our lives.
Thank you, Don! Happy New Year to you!
Thank you, GP!
We should all strive to be a beacon of in whatever darkness surrounds us. Thank you for remiding me of that. Happy new year to you, your family, and the Aqua Roomers present and past!
Well said, Liz. Yes, we should all strive regardless. Thank you for reading and your wonderful comments. Happy New Year to you!
You’re welcome, Jennie!
Francis Bacon said “In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.” While we may feel we have been living in darkness, it is in that darkness that we can see the hope of the light. Happy New Year
Hear, hear! Thank you for Bacon’s quote. It is excellent. Your words are, too. Happy New Year, Lori!
Blessings and love in the New Year! ✨
And the same blessings and love to you this coming year, Bette! 🥰
💞 xo
Yes, children are always teaching. We need to pay attention to all the lessons they’re throwing at us. A fabulous new year to you, Jennie!
Amen! A healthy and happy new year to you, Pete.
Our skies were clear that night and we saw the ‘Christmas Star’…searching the skies and looking up helps us to remember we’re a part of something larger than ourselves.
Light and hope – children continue that largeness.
peace
I love this, Laura. You have a way with words. Thank you! I dearly wish we had a clear sky that night to see the Christmas Star. Perhaps a failed view made Kevin Ting determined to get that photo the following night. Things happen for a reason. Yes, children continue the largeness of light and hope!
Yes! Who’s to say the cloudy skies weren’t the entire reason why Kevin Ting pushed through and ended up with an even more (he)artistic photo?
Yes, who’s to say? 😍
Happy new year and may even your tunnels be filled with light
Thank you, Geoff. Happy New Year to you.
Jennie, thank you for this important and deeply needed post! Happy New Year!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Charles. Happy New Year!
Reblogged this on charles french words reading and writing and commented:
Please read this beautiful and important post from Jennie, the excellent teacher!
Thank you, Charles!
This is short but beautiful, Jennie. Wow. You are so right about all of this. Light is hope, and children are the light of the future. So why not be hopeful?
Exactly! Thank you so much for reading and commenting.
Reblogged this on Sue Vincent's Daily Echo.
Thank you, Sue!
My pleasure, Jennie 🙂
Jennie’s heart-warming piece says so much about hope and love, bless her, Teachers like her are precious. xx
Awww… thank you, Joy!
Thank you so much, Joy!
A lovely post Jennie and I have always traveled with hope and continue to do so.. nature and so many people that I meet offer that light that promises so much… ♥
Thank you, Sally. I know this is how you travel, who you are. There are many who give us light, and of course nature. We just need to see. Happy New Year!
♥♥
Happy New Year.
A teacher’s family is beyond the house…beyond the school.
The children have hope, Jennie, it is the natural way for them. We have to feed the hope and not be negative.
We can learn much from children, can’t we? For them it is natural. Yes, we mustn’t let negativity get in the way.
I would like to say, “ Happy New year Jaani ”.
Lovely story about hope and looking at the sky. We were lucky to see the conjunction in the south west sky for 2 -3 days, of course first day was filled with excitement….then next with wonder, third day was ..we are still lucky? that’s it. no more views. Yes this a is year of much more hope and wiser by a year gone by.
You had three wonderful nights looking at the sky. Doesn’t it seem fitting that the conjunction, with all the hope and excitement it brings, happened this particular year? We certainly needed it! Thank you, Veena.
Wow! You are living like in a fairytale. 😉 What an amazing town, and the interior one can see, like where elves are living. 😉 Michael
Yes, it looks that way! It’s a pretty town. I think maybe the elves are the children at school? Thank you, Michael! 🙂
Yes, this makes sense. Thank you too, Jennie! Enjoy the new week!. Michael
Best to you, Michael. My school has been under renovation for the last 18 months. Tomorrow we move back! Stay tuned.
Hey, seems you had choosen a good time for the renovation. But its very adorable how you are managing the online teaching. Here in Bavaria there is a great loss in knowledge about.They dont wont to use the infrastructure by Google and Amazon, but dont have a own one.
Interesting and a shame, Michael.
Happy New Year
Thank you!
Beautiful, Jenny. Just beautiful. Happy New Year.
Thank you, Diana! 🥰 Happy New Year to you!
A beautiful reminder for the gratitudes we take for granted Jennie ❤
Hear, hear! 🥰
❤
Light and hope!💫
Happy new year!
Thank you.
Beautiful words…
Thank you.
I agree that kids are drawn to light. Everything is wondrous for them! Great post!
Thank you!
Happy new year! 💐
Thank you!
Welcome
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Thank you.
Hope is the only light when we darkness
Everywhere. Especially in this pandemic time.
The poem you wrote on hope is praiseworthy
I check Email very rarely. Because it is pandemic time. I read and h be hope to each and everyone because everyone is trying their best in what they do.
Beautifully said. Thank you.