What's It All About?

The holidays can be a frenzied, stressfull time for many. Take a moment to think about what it's really all about.

Years ago my parents had an annual Christmas Eve open house. It was a pretty big affair, with their friends, my friends, my brother’s friends, our friends’ parents…anyone who wanted to stop by for some Christmas cheer and, of course, to admire our Christmas tree. Entrance required everyone to stop and say “that’s the most beautiful tree I’ve ever seen”. It was festive, food and drinks flowed and Loret usually ended up performing whatever dance move was in that year. I believe the Macarena was her best performance! I loved these parties. It was a house full of laughter and fun. Even if you hated Christmas, you couldn’t help but get into the spirit of Christmas. I am so thankful to my parents for throwing these parties year after year; creating a tradition that everyone looked forward to.

But the best thing about these parties came later in the night, when everyone would quiet down and each person would share what they were most grateful for that year. We would sit around the living room and fill the air with our gratitude. Listening to a room full of people give thanks for something in their lives is incredibly powerful. I think that my mom is a genius for creating this tradition…it was a reminder to all that we all have something to be grateful for and it was inspiring to hear other people share their gratitude.

But, things change, times change, and traditions can’t always remain forever. It doesn’t take a Christmas party or a room full of people to stop and take stock of the blessings in our lives. It is both empowering and humbling. And it feels wonderful if you can find someone to share your gratitude with.

So, it goes like this… I am most grateful for:

 Dave’s enduring love and support and willingness to do the unconventional rather than walk away from our relationship;
 Loret taking me into her home when I couldn’t find an affordable place to live;
 The support team that surrounds my nephew Markus;
 The understanding and generosity of my friends;
 All of the laughter Dave and I share;
 Having doctors who have not given up on me;
 Having family who love and support me;
 Getting to go to Mexico – twice!!!
 My health (ya, I know that one sounds crazy!)
 Living exactly where I want to live – by the ocean and the mountains
 Always having my basic needs met – a roof over my head, food in my belly, clothes on my back;
 Somehow always having faith that things will always work out for me.

Okay, so you get the point…I have soooooo much to be grateful for, more than I have shared here. I hope this will inspire people to stop and think about what it’s really all about, during the holidays and all throughout the year.