It is coming…can you feel it? Christmas is upon us! Time draws us ever forward no matter how we kick and scream against it. No matter how we beg for one more day to get everything done. It comes. And I’m glad for it.
Peeking. I was always one of those kids that shook the presents. Well, not hard. I didn’t want to break anything. I did everything I could to figure out what was in those beautifully wrapped packages underneath that glorious tree. Yes, I even pulled at the tape if I thought I could put it back without anyone noticing. In my defense, this was something my brother taught me. I was just doing what anyone would, right? Even now, though, I am eager, so very eager, for my children to unwrap their presents and the waiting to be over. At 6, 4, and 2, they are not yet at that stage where they come up with stuff such as peeking under the wrapping, but I am eager for them.
A love fest. Gift giving is definitely my number one expressive love language. So, Christmas is a love fest of sorts for me. As much as it is work, I enjoy finding the right present for the right person and watching them open it. Could anything be better? Ah, yes, the number one way I receive love – quality time. Another big one at Christmas. All the family, together, in one place, for several hours of quality time. Ahhh… So, as you can imagine, Christmas is just the most amazing time of year for me from that perspective.
The hope of the New Year. As the days draw us closer and closer to Christmas, we march ever onward toward a new year. I despise New Year’s Resolutions…I’m just going to say it. I think if you want to make a change in your life, you should do it, regardless of when in the year it is. I get the whole “it’s a new year, what better time than now…” So, more power to you if you want to make a change and make it happen then, but that’s not me. And I think it’s why a lot of New Year’s Resolutions fail. Because people that are serious about change, do it when they become serious, not because of some kind of arbitrary date on the calendar. Remember a few weeks ago I told you I was going to be more serious about my health? About what I ate and about exercise? I decided that day to make a change…I’m down almost 15 lbs. And I’ll keep going. Because I am determined and because I am serious about the change for my various reasons.
I’ve always liked these lyrics from Anna Nalick’s “Breathe”: “‘Cause you can’t jump the track, we’re like cars on a cable; And life’s like an hourglass, glued to the table; No one can find the rewind button…And breathe…” Time – our enemy, our friend, our constant companion…take advantage of the time you have. Hold your loved ones close this Christmas, take advantage of that opportunity. And about all that other craziness…just breathe.