Dear Reader:

When I returned home from our family Mother’s Day gathering yesterday I placed the pink dahlias and teapot succulent under the tree while I carried in other packages. It wasn’t until late afternoon that I went back out and the sun now dappled through the branches adding to the flowers a beautiful glow . Dappled light! My favorite!

The Japanese have the most accurate term for dappled light ” Komorebi.” No comparable English word for this ” tree light” exists. The best we can come up with is sunbeam or a more generalized term dappled light.

Webster dictionary says ” dappled” is no longer a popular term but I give it my vote… I think it and the result of filtered light through trees is stunning!

I remember Grandmother Wilson would sometimes replaced dawdle with dapple! She would tell us to quit “dappling” around and finish our chores.

Once when I was about 12 I became “Miss Know it All” and decided to correct grandmother when she yelled at us to hurry back home and quit dappling around. I yelled back ” Don’t you mean dawdling around Grandmother”? My brothers and I started giggling!

When we got back inside Grandmother sat me down and said firmly-” dapple light is filtered light that doesn’t let full light in-so when I tell you to quit ” dappling ” I mean to give whatever you are doing your ” full ” attention and finish the job… as she walked away she turned and added ” and don’t dawdle while doing it.”

As I watched my family playing yesterday all together I understood what Grandmother meant… when it comes to family relationships we are either all in or out-our children deserve a full light of love from us -and should never settle for less-even dappled!

So until tomorrow… I hope everyone yesterday, whether scattered or not, felt glimpses of filtered sunlight on their shoulders- and in their hearts!

” Today is my favorite day”

Fun in the Sun