Interesting Time of Year
This is a very interesting time of year. It stirs many different feelings in different kinds of people. Sometimes many different feelings in the same individual. Ever feel a little conflicted? I have!
On the surface it would seem this should be a very happy time of year. Thanksgiving has just past… and Christmas draws ever nearer. Everywhere you look there are wishes for Happy Holidays. Decorations with lights flashing at every turn.
Yet those decorations are often not targeted so much at the intent of the season… but rather the commercialized trap some people fall into. Some feel pressure from the need to deliver on an ever building expectation for gifts and surprises. Trying to make the holidays perfect… can often drive one to try and deliver beyond their means. If you’re feeling that pressure… you have fallen into the trap… the hype. If that is the case… it is time to take a step back… and contemplate what the season is really all about. Maybe this is one time where those of us that have always been far from perfect… have an advantage over those who still feel they need to be.
I realized a long time ago that I cannot deliver perfection… And have been blessed to learn that those around me don’t need perfection. I cannot count the times I have witnessed those in my family getting as much joy out of the flawed… as they have the flawless. Maybe even more so. When you don’t take yourself too seriously… all the little things that go wrong become a source of amusement. Stirring jokes and laughter… rather than shame or regret.
My biggest challenge with this time of year is adjusting to the shifting season. The constant swings in the weather make it tough to plan activities. The kayaks have had to be put away (except by the extreme die-hards). The bike can still be used on the right day… but it can get awful cold and wet on the wrong day. It is not yet cold enough for skis on a regular basis. Hiking and walking are about the only activities that lend themselves to just about any season. The trick is really in dressing right (layers, layers, layers). I have never been real big on the indoor activities… but maybe at my age… it is time to consider some.
But regardless of the fact I never know what to get for anybody. Or when I do… it may not ship in time. And if it does arrive in time… I can’t wrap it to look good to save my life. Any meal I fix will have something missing… much of it will be overdone… and I can barely trim a tree… so the presentation of what is served like the table it is served on… always lack in pizazz. But I still love this time of year!
Whether you fall back on traditions of old… or are still coming up with traditions of your own… I guess this is the perfect time to reflect. You can reflect on the year(s) behind… and also to dream on the year(s) ahead. I have a tendency to do this all year. But the nostalgia of this time of year really kicks that tendency into high gear. So many blessings this year! And so many blessings already in the planning for next!
So if the weather does not cooperate… and we get some grey and dreary days. Do not let the days like that dampen your spirits. Use them to rest, rebuild and reflect. Count how you were blessed yesterday… enjoy how you are blessed today… and trust in the blessings of tomorrow. I pray your spirits are as bright as the lights on the tree! And that you appreciate all the perfect moments… in spite of the little imperfections in the presentation! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!