I am trying to get in the holiday mood, but it’s not quite happening for me yet.
The Christmas jingles are not providing inspiration.
I am avoiding gluten and dairy products, so I will be skipping the Christmas cookies this year. Both making them and eating them.
It’s about 83 degrees outside, so it doesn’t quite feel like Christmas… or even December for that matter.
I am not exactly Bah Humbug, but I am just struggling to find the spirit for sure.
I used to love the holiday season, but without little ones in the house or even having all the kids home for the holidays, something feels like it is missing.
Maybe something is missing. My two older daughters are far away, the absence of cooler weather, and my loss of desire to buy more stuff.
I thought if I forced myself to go to the mall, the inspiration would come. But I just ended up buying some things for my youngest daughter that she actually needed. I was worn out after an hour.
I find that the things I want most are simply not things. My Christmas list looks something like this:
Good health. Since I have had three sick patients in the house over the last three weeks, I am reminded how important this truly is. First, it was my daughter recovering from oral surgery. Then, it was my dog losing one of his nails and having to suffer the indignity of wearing a plastic cone for a week. This included having to wrap his foot in a plastic baggie every time he went outside, so the bandage didn’t get wet. If you think your dog hates you for making him wear a cone try adding a baggie to his foot for every pee-pee break outside. Then, my husband got a nasty cold. Followed by my daughter getting a sore throat. I made so much chicken soup that I think they might never eat chicken soup again. I am thankful that I didn’t get sick myself. My only symptom was exhaustion. So when I wasn’t making soup and putting plastic baggies over my dog’s foot, I was taking a lot of naps. And, of course, disinfecting everything like a mad woman.
Next on my list…
Peace. Ideally, World Peace. But as they say, you have to put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others. So I would like to start with my own inner peace. To live in harmony with myself and my inner critic. Embrace my shortcomings and celebrate my own being. Perhaps if I can figure this out, I can be better prepared to helping the other 7.3 billion people on the planet.
And just one more thing…
Purpose. As I venture into year two of my own entrepreneurship as a writer, producer, meditator and yogi, I am hoping to achieve some tangible reward for all of my endeavors. I feel as if I have been in graduate school for Life these last two years. My studies have included patience, gratitude, and self-care. But I am ready for these new teachings to lead me to something more concrete. Dare I say income? Otherwise, I might have to embrace all of my hard work as hobbies. Which then makes me retired… and I am simply not ready for that.
In the meanwhile, I am nothing if not grateful for the love of my family and friends. I am particularly grateful to the new community I have met through my writing. My readers have also been my teachers. So much of my education this year have been books, recipes, music, television shows, movies and podcasts that you have all recommended. This has been a treasure trove of wonderful discoveries of talented writers, philosophers, and artists.
So please keep sharing those things that inspire you because it inspires me… and that’s all I really want for Christmas.
