12/21/2009

It was a Monday . . . hard to get focused on a Monday morning - what needs your attention first? And everyone thinks their problem should be your priority. I understand that, but I end up flitting from one thing to another, and end up with several unfinished projects. But I was able to finish up my Christmas shopping on my lunch hour today and then met my husband and son after work to get the makings for the gift bags for the school party. Which we can't call a Christmas Party - we must call it a Winter Party. Is a child really going to be insulted and harmed by someone giving them a well wish?? They learn about Kwanza and Hannakah at school so why is this different? If a child does not want to participate, they don't have to. If the phrase Merry Christmas is said with good spirit then shouldn't we embrace it? My son woke me up on Hannakah and said Happy Hannakah - we aren't Jewish and he just was recognizing that it was a day important to others. I wish we all could just think more like children and analyze things a little less. Is it really so important to worry about something like that when 9 week old babies are getting multiple bones broken? When children are starving to death daily and when they are having their limbs blown off by field mines?? Where have our priorities gone? 4 days until Christmas. God bless us all with wisdom, peace, and the love and acceptance of children.

12/20/09

As I sit here, unable to sleep, 5 days before Christmas and wondering why I haven't gotten into the magic of it all this year. I have gone through some of the motions - I have enjoyed buying gifts and seeing it through the eyes of the kids around me, but I am feeling very empty this year. That being said, I have become more aware of the amazing number of blessings I am surrounded by. And maybe that is it. I am not finding the need to decorate from roof top to basement floor, the need to spend an entire day making Christmas cookies that won't all get eaten and that I don't enjoy doing all that much! I have given myself permission to relax and not sweat the small stuff. I think having been sick so much and unable to do things has taught me that the earth doesn't shatter if there is a little dust on the furniture, or if the kitchen floor hasn't been srcrubbed in a week!! I wish I could put on perfect Norman Rockwell/Martha Stewart kind of holiday, but that is not me.

Had an interesting conversation last night about politics. Always fun. I refuse to get into arguments about it - that is not what our country is supposed to be about. The beauty of our freedom is that we are allowed to have opinions and state them. I simply feel that anyone who votes straight ticket - regardless of party affiliation - is irresponsible. To say that every person who aligns themelves with a party is either 'good' or 'bad' is naive. Every apple tree is going to produce at least one bad apple!! But ultimately we agreed on the same basic principles - go figure!
I was completely lazy the past two days. Too lazy. I need to quite hiding from life and get busy. So the journey begins. That means taking control of the house, the paperwork, my self, my health, and my relationships. Here will be my ups, my downs, my daily observations, my frustrations and pet peeves, or just the craziness of a day in the life . . . . .