A Sea of Santas

Last Saturday, we went to Union Square in San Francisco for some Christmas fun. What we didn’t expect to see is so many Santas! But it wasn’t random; SantaCon was in full force – a bar crawl in festive Christmas costumes. We also saw many elves and The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who! It was fun to see the sea of reds, whites, and greens. I was so tempted to ask a few ‘Santas’ if I could take a photo but chickened out. Watching children ice skate evoked wonderful memories of taking our son and daughter when they were little. Precious memories! After several hours of walking around the Square and lunch at The Cheesecake Factory in Macy’s on the eighth floor, we headed for The Embarcadero to take in the hustle and bustle in The Ferry Building. I couldn’t resist photos of the festivities in general, so here we go:

We had such a wonderful day to add to our holiday celebrations, then the trifecta of tragedies occurred over the course of the weekend. Our emotions were confused. They didn’t know whether to jump for joy from a great day in the city and for our safety, or to surrender to sorrow, feeling deep sadness for the loss, hate, and violence. Honestly, we felt a little of both. And our hearts ache for those who are grieving, especially during this time when the hope is for all to revel in joy. We help in ways that we can, and I hope you all do the same. Any gesture of kindness will make a difference. I wish I could take in all the people who are hurting, not to mention, all the animals that are suffering. I wish I could. And I wish love would prevail over hate…all hope can’t be lost, but it sure flounders at times…

On a lighter note, I pulled a couple poems from my post here to conclude:

This jingle jolly
season delights young hearts as
they bake cookies for
the white-bearded man in red
joy through the eyes of children

‘Tis the season to
be with family and friends
bringing joy to hearts
for their company is the
best gift of all to receive

❤️

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks for stopping by. I have a couple more posts before ‘breaking for the holidays’ with my last on the 23rd.
I wish you happiness, love, good health, and safety.
From my heart to yours, Lauren ❤️

The ultimate gift for dog lovers and
pet parents in general. Click on the link
to order your copy. Thank you!

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
Author and poet, Lauren Scott, enjoys small-town living in the Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their adult son and daughter live out of state, and with frequent visits and technology, the family of four remains close. Lauren has published four poetry collections, a memoir, and her first children’s book. Her latest poetry collection is a tribute to her family’s Chocolate Labrador who crossed over the Rainbow Bridge in spring 2025. Lauren is a recent Pushcart Nominee and has been a guest on several podcasts. Her writing is featured on Spillwords Press where she was voted Author of the Month and garnered Publication of the Month awards. She is a contributing author in several anthologies, and her work is also shared on Gobblers and Masticadores. Her muse discovers inspiration from her family, spending time outdoors, reveling in simple things, and marveling at the mysteries of life.

Three Nights in a Van – Part 3 An Invitation

Dear Family and Friends,

For those of you who have followed me since Part 1, thank you! I thought today’s Part 3 would make a good Friday post. On a morning hike, I became inspired to write, and once we returned to camp, I had to jot down my thoughts fast before they drifted away. So, if you missed Part 1, which will provide the full context of this series, you can check it out here, and for Part 2 click here.
I hope you enjoy! ❤️

An Invitation

Smooth granite invites contemplation and reflection.
Please, take a seat, relax, watch the lake’s ripples
perform their water dance. Does the shimmering surface
remind you of stars presenting a ballet in a brilliant night sky?

Note the tall pines swaying in the breeze,
you can gently sway, too, if you feel the need.

Let the depth of your soul bathe in the beauty.

Permit calm into your core
slowing the anxiety in your weary bones.
No worries weigh heavy on your mind.
Simply absorb nature’s tranquility, enhancing your mindset,
and sensing your body slipping into a state of bliss.

The sun touches the stone like the caress of an adored lover.
Feel the warmth seeping into your skin and open your eyes
to the wonder around you,
to the tail-free lizard heading somewhere fast alone.

When you feel like you can’t keep up
with a world spinning out of control,

When joy has been suffocated
by tragedies incomprehensible,
and you fear it won’t breathe sweet air again,

When hope has been emptied to the last drop
and you fear it won’t be replenished,

Consider yourself truly blessed with this precious moment,
transporting you to a safe place of escape.

© Lauren Scott

Lizzy the lizard.
Clay, the camper van.
Our escape.

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.

Perfect for summer blue skies or for when
the leaves change their wardrobe in the fall.

In this collection, I prompt you to reminisce
and reflect on your past, present, and future.
Through the ups and downs,
what matters most is to love and live ever so gently.
💚🩵

Onward

candle

Everywhere, affecting our senses
We’re subjected to horror never-ending
How much more can our souls ache?
How much more can our hearts break?

Should we succumb to defeat that we feel?
Throw in the towel with arms in the air?
Are they winners again because we allow, 
Or is perseverance what it’s all about?

Let’s not restrict our minds to the darkness
Instead, dare to dream with eyes wide open
Envision the world we desire to see
Surround ourselves with the light we need

light+and+hope

Lauren Scott © 2018
Photos courtesy of Google
(In view of the frequent negativity all around the world,
here is some Light to carry with you today.) ❤