The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Actually, I prefer July and August, but if there’s anything to recommend December, it’s the holidays.

Christmas looks very different this year; Will and I no longer host the holidays in our big house on the hill. It feels weird, even though this Christmas is much better than the last. Back then we were on the verge of homelessness…now we’re comfortably ensconced in our son and son-in-law’s home and there are gifts waiting by the tree. We were even able to afford a few small things for the family, which feels good. I couldn’t say the same for last year. It’s nothing like it was back in the good times, but at least we’re contributing something.

Of course, I have mixed feelings about all this. I find myself yearning for those great Christmases of the past; yet I know this is the way it has to be, and it’s OK. We are nestled in the warmth of kith and kin, and that’s more than a lot of people can say. I can’t even imagine what it must be like to be completely alone during the holidays. I’ve always been fortunate enough to be with family and friends at this special time, and I’m grateful for that. So while Christmas has changed, the one constant is being surrounded by people I love and who love me. And at this time of my life, that’s all I really need.

As someone wiser than I once said, the older we get, the shorter our Christmas lists are and the more we appreciate what we already have. Never has this been more true for me than this year. May it be a happy holiday season for you and yours as well. 🙂