Take what you need and leave the rest behind
22 Dec 2011 4 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: celebration, Christmas, family, food, Holidays, Political correctness, Winter solstice
The season is upon us….
I have to admit to a low-level of distress around this time.
All the media hype is high energy, people laughing, drinking and eating at parties, images of beautifully set tables and perfectly wrapped gifts under the tree. This is not what I see.
Folks are tired, stressed, worried about money, their jobs, being overbooked and under enthused. Baking, buying, worrying, lonely, drinking too much…..
I ask the rhetorical question… what happened?
People hesitate to wish you a Merry Christmas for fear of offending, The salutations stumble out like some contrived melting pot of political correctness. Then a faint smile, the kind that says “hehehe, I tried”, with shoulders shrugging, heels engaged for a quick turn.
This time of year is bittersweet. Things that make it really work for me are:
1. Family and friends. Solstice has just passed and I was so fortunate to spend the day and evening with family and friends. Main theme: conversation, companionship, and of course food. I know for some people food may not be high on the list of priorities, to me food is an expression of love and the sharing of a good meal trumps any gift.
2. Nature. This time of year the collective energy is so intense, that I find myself heading to nature. A simple hour walk down by the river, rejuvenates me.
3. Light. It may sound trivial, but we are now being blessed with a daily gift of more light. The strings of lights adorning our homes during the holidays are beautiful to me.
4. Time. Once all the Christmas well wishing and celebrating has past, it’s time to pull up a chair by the winter fire and pull a book off the pile waiting to be read.
To all of you I wish the best of the season, however that looks for you.
Embrace what you need and let the rest go by the wayside.
Dec 22, 2011 @ 19:54:23
Well said (as ever). It is too easy to forget those things that power us and renew us, or to take them for granted. Catching up the other day reminded me I was in danger of passing those things by in the rush to be ready. Thanks for slowing me down enough to remember to enjoy every day.
Merry Christmas and a joyous, fulfilling New Year to you, Robert and your family.
Dec 23, 2011 @ 07:40:41
Thanks Michael.
May your holidays be filled with joy and abundance…. and enjoy those grandkids!
Dec 24, 2011 @ 09:12:23
I am sitting on the couch looking out at the mountains while enjoying a coffee with bailey’s in it. We are so lucky that friends are coming this year, so will lots of good food (yes, it is high on our priority level) and good conversation and just fun. When people ask me what I want for Christmas I can never think of anything – it’s not about a present – it is about the gift of time, of family, of friends. Hopefully people that are ‘on vacation’ will actually turn the blackberry off and truly enjoy family and friends. Life is too precious to spend worrying about work.
It was so wonderful to see you – may you, Robert and your family have a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2012 – it will be exciting to see what the new year will bring!
Dec 24, 2011 @ 13:01:14
Thanks Val, You too! Look forward to getting together in the New Year.