This is always the craziest time of the year. Whatever holiday you celebrate (or even you don’t have a holiday to celebrate), there is a frenzied energy in the air. People are rushing about, work is nuts, kids are bonkers, and if you happen to turn on the news, Peace on Earth is not exactly happening right now.
But, at least for me, the real madness is in all the preparation and anticipation. At this point, it’s just smooth sailing: the shopping is done, the cards mailed, and even the Christmas Eve dinner has been prepared and enjoyed. Everyone is where they are supposed to be, safe and sound. My 87- year old mother flew across the country all by her lonesome, and is safely tucked in my younger son’s bed, napping away. My sister and her family are in St. Louis, to welcome home her first grandchild, born in the wee hours of December 21. The rest of my family and friends are scattered across the globe, but happily nestled in with loved ones. To put it simply, at this moment, all is good.
So, in this moment of all good-ness, I’m taking a little time for some major gratitude. I’m grateful we’re back under our own roof (finally!), grateful that we’re healthy, grateful that we have food in our bellies and love in our hearts. I’m grateful for family, grateful for friends, and grateful for this life we’ve been given to live together. I’m grateful to be married to my best friend, and grateful for our boys, who are the greatest blessing we have ever known.
I’m also grateful for all of you who are with me on this journey. Grateful for your kind eyes and even kinder comments, grateful for your support and all of your encouragement. But most of all, I’m just grateful that we’re all in this together. Whether we are friends in the flesh or just friends on this feed, you mean more to me than I can ever express.
My holiday wish for you is to take a moment or two of your own. And as you reflect on the year, instead of making a list of all that went wrong, or of all you would change if you could, choose to make a list of all that you’re grateful for. Even in the worst years, there is at least one thing to be grateful for, even if it’s for the lessons you’re learning that you don’t yet understand. And if you have a glass of buttermilk and channel the great Bing Crosby, you might even fall asleep counting your blessings. My guess is that the dreams you'll dream will be the sweetest you have ever known.
Much love to you all, and I’ll see you here in 2016!
XO
