After the Thanksgiving feast I was enjoying family chatter, mixed with football, and the thoughts of a second slice of pie. Out of the blue one of my grandchildren announced, “It is five weeks until Christmas”. That grandchild was put in ” time out ” for ruining the mood. Of course one’s mind immediately turns to the commercial side of Christmas rather than the “REASON FOR THE SEASON”. Over the past few years at Christmas I have found my solitude in avoiding the stress factor by seeking simple pleasures.
Most of the simple pleasures are free of charge and/or only require a small amount of money. No matter your age, when was the last time you just sat outside under blue sky’s and watched cloud formations. It is amazing how you discover hearts, angel wings, and even face formations. Another freebie are our feather friends. They jockey for position waiting for a shot of sunflower seed thinking, ” Hey it’s my turn”. This is an oldie but goodie, ride through your neighborhood and marvel at how creative Christmas decorations have become. I kid you not, one of my neighbors has a twenty foot Snoopy dressed to the nines in Christmas attire, fantastic. And then there are the home made crafts ( yes we did ). We did twelve ( count them ) intimate mangers of baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. My fingers are still stuck together from the super glue.
Allow me to share my simple pleasure with you. Sitting in our living room with the beverage of choice, listening to Michael Buble Christmas music with soft Christmas lights, counting our Christmas lights. Before you judge, let me explain.
When I seem to disappear in the evening, my better half will say, ” Are you counting Christmas lights?”. Here is the deal, each light I count is referenced to a family member or close friend. The light is symbolic of a fond memory that occurred in past years or as recent as today. At times I find myself laughing out loud and other times there are tears that accompany that light. This year there is one light that is shinning brighter than all the others. Trust me, the old adage, ” I laughed until I cried” is alive and well.
So this Christmas season, find you a comfy chair near your tree, and count your lights. Bring the memories with you and maybe a Kleenex or two. Merry Christmas guys.
Be safe.
Joe's Bakers Dozen 