Twelve days
Christmas is a promise. It brings hope. It encourages generosity and inspires peace. It fills the heart with joy and ushers in the New Year. Yesterday, on the first day of Christmas, we exchanged gifts, savored a lovely breakfast, lounged around, watched a few movies and some basketball, made a casual Christmas dinner and essentially lingered in the company of those we love. It was a smaller Christmas than in years past, appropriate given the economy and the new alignment of priorities. Being smaller it was far less stressful. Despite anxiety at (possibly) not getting the one big present from my younger son to my older son completed, the promise of Christmas made for a tiny miracle and all was good.
E was pleased his gift to C came through! He thrills in being creative. I made just the right amount of cookies, as they are all gone. I managed to get orange marmalade made from the orange gifted to me by Miss Sue, a thoughtful patient who brings me heirloom citrus from her property every winter. While the natural pectin failed to set the marmalade, it still tastes intensely orange and tangy.
I found some retro gifts we all enjoyed: Bubs Daddy gum, Fizzies and Ring Dings. Nostalgia at Christmas IS a big part of Christmas. And the boys, especially E, are excited to be getting a second Christmas tomorrow with their Dad.
Between now and Epiphany, I will take stock. I return to work tomorrow and close the year out with a strong finish. The office will be a bit crazed, having been both a long weekend and because I have been off the clock for the last week. The treat is that this is AGAIN a short week, as we are closed on Friday for New Years Eve. With each day of Christmas, I will give thanks for a new thing. I will also define my twelve precepts for the coming year. Starting January 1st I will begin participating in the River of Stones writing project, so my blog posts in January will be brief and succinct.
I will hope and pray that all those I know and love will have the peace and joy of Christmas this season. I also hope that those struggling and suffering will feel the compassion of others and their burdens will be eased. While intending to be more frugal in tangible ways, I hope to be more generous and extravagant with my spirit. I want to give to myself and others extravagantly and without reticence…but to give in a soulful way…not a material way. To give my time, my creativity and my energy is an investment in a future surrounded by people who also love and give freely. It will teach me (and them) that the gift of money is an empty and shallow offering, while a gift of energy and heart is an inheritance beyond measure.
To love and love without fear is a lofty goal, but the honest and true gift bestowed upon me this Christmas. Merry Christmas to all, blessings upon your families, peace for your fears and anxiety and assurance that the future is glorious.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Archives
- March 2022
- January 2022
- November 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- December 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- March 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- October 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- August 2017
- June 2017
- April 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- November 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
Leave a Reply