Day 214
I don't think I'd ever be mistaken for a Scrooge, but I do try my best to only focus on Christmas after Thanksgiving is over. Call me old-fashioned, but I like to enjoy each holiday in turn, the way I always did growing up.
So on Black Friday this weekend, I finally gave in, and decided I was ready at last to start celebrating the Christmas season. I got in the car to do some shopping, turned on the radio for my first real listen to the Christmas carols, and then, not 5 seconds later, an SUV drove past me with a foot of snow on its roof.
It was like a sudden rush of mixed emotions, especially since we haven't had any snow yet here in my part of Long Island. Seeing so much snow just as I was beginning to embrace the season was crazy, and yet cool too...not least of which because I got to see it without having to shovel any!
The Christmas season is officially upon us now, whether you like it or not. For some, it means a month of joy and fun, presents and parties. For others though, it's a reminder of those who are missing: loved ones who have died or who still haven't shown up.
I love Christmas and all it brings, and though I'm no Buddy The Elf, I'm no Scrooge either. My life has been blessed in many ways, and though I've had my fair share of hardships and loved ones lost, I believe in the supreme potentiality of this season.
No matter where your head and heart are all year long, or even right now, Christmas is an invitation, an invitation to joy. It's like a hand reaching out, inviting you to dance, to try a nice new dessert, or to sing that funny Christmas song when it plays on the radio.
We may not always have good reason to smile, in fact we may have very good reasons not to, but Christmas invites us to jump in anyway, to let go and just enjoy it all as much as we can. You may not have the desire at first, but if you take a chance and join the crowd, the Christmas spirit really can be yours. I hope you'll try.
And for those who are already singing loud and dancing on the tables, you might want to pace yourself a bit. We've still got another three or four weeks to go, and I'm gonna need some help shoveling the snow!
Merry Christmas Spirit! : )
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