When the children were little we had Advent calendars to mark the days before Christmas--the visual helped keep me on track. Maybe I should've invested in an Advent calendar this year, so I'm mindful of how few days remain before Christmas. I've been crossing them off on the calendar since the first of December, but fell behind on that this week as well--I thought the week felt a bit long.
The childlike wonderment of the season is still a part of me, but at this point in my life, the wonderment has matured and deepened--maybe it's better described as a peaceful joy. And perhaps it's this that has me thinking less about what I have to "accomplish before Christmas" and find myself reflecting more on the past and present--and musing a little on what the future may hold this coming year.
For a number of weekends I've been picking up this icon here and there to embellish it a bit, but now's the time to put it aside and return to it after the New Year--coming back to it with new eyes will be good.
Nights I've been reading Alice Taylor's An Irish Country Christmas; it was either that, or Dickens's A Christmas Carol. Alice won out--I was charmed by her book when it was first published and the time was right to reacquaint myself with her childhood memories of Christmas.
Before bedtime, I'll glance at my "to-do" list for Christmas and not fret too much. Things will get done--they always do.
2 comments:
Beautifully written post -- I agree about the maturation of the Christmas wonder. I feel the same way. I am going to look into the book you are reading -- it looks like something I could get into and right now I am looking for something to settle down with and get lost in. Have a wonderful week and don't worry about that to-do list -- you are right, it will get done and for those things that don't -- well, maybe they didn't need to.
It's true, Melissa, if things don't get done, maybe they "don't" need to and chances are no one will even notice except me.
I am reluctant to recommend books because everyone's expectations are different. I find it quaint because it's the childhood memories of Christmas that we all share in one form or another. If you do come across it, I hope you enjoy it. Come this time of year, reading is the perfect retreat :)
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