Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

It’s ironic on the first day of my Christmas vacation I should wake up at 5:30am with words in my head that refuse to let me sleep in.  It could also be the Mexican food I ate last night, but for the sake of this post, let’s allow my muse believe it’s her insistence that writing now will make me sleep better later that has gotten me out of bed and glued to the keyboard.

Just because the world did not end Friday does not mean there is not a new world order being imposed upon my household.  I call it the Creative Imperative.  

It may have something to do with hand-made gifts not being ready for their December 25^th delivery date that makes it imperative that I be exceptionally creative in the next twenty-four hours.  Or it could be because I have one of the best Christmas bonuses available to me – paid time off – that makes me giddy with possibility and creative options.

In any case, just like the last hour of the day before leaving for vacation suddenly becomes my most productive hour of the week, suddenly it seems important to connect and share a Christmas wish with you.

While every year brings its share of ups and downs, this year lived up to the prediction of end of times – specific times – for me.  Whether it was the milestone birthday, the Alaskan adventure, ending a long term relationship, creating a new poetry website, or purchasing my first new car in fourteen years, to paraphrase REM, it's the end of the world as I know it and I feel fine.

It’s not that any of it was easy to accept.  Every new person, place, or thing I welcomed into my brave, new world required me to release another person, place, or thing that was very dear to my old existence. 

Of course, the groovy denim pantsuit I wore to the seventh grade sock hop was also very dear to me.  Sometimes I just need a clear visual and trippy language to remind me of the importance of time and perspective, don’t you?

I'm guessing you have had a year of upheaval and change and surprise and joy as well. Despite Herculean efforts to be masters of our universe, it’s the nature of our lives to be predictably unpredictable. 

So what I wish for you this Christmas Eve is what I'm holding out for myself … that we find a way to embrace it all with good humor, keen insight, and amazing grace.  These gifts seem way more practical than gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Plus, I have no idea where to get the other stuff.

Thanks for reading, responding, and passing my words along.

May you have yourself a merry little Christmas now.



P.S.   On January 5, 2013, I'll be leading a Name It and Claim It in the New Year workshop at my workplace.  If you're interested in attending, let me know.  If you're interested in the virtual version, send me an email.