Once again the holiday season is upon and we are all getting ready to pile on top of one another in cars, buses, trains and planes, traveling to see friends and family whether we want to or not. Although the holidays are about festivity they are also a source of stress. The thrilling excitement of the holiday season is gone by the time you graduate college. There are no required breaks, vacations or recesses and if you don’t have ample vacation time then sure enough
you are working around each of the holidays (i.e. Christmas Eve, New Years Eve). To make matters worse, you are more than likely not on the receiving end of an abundance of gifts and plates full of food and desserts. Nope you are the one responsible for creating the menu, fetching groceries and cooking, baking the damn cookies and buying gifts you cannot afford. The more expensive the gift the more you love the person – who in they hell though of this one. Hopefully you shop at a place that does gift wrapping for free or on the cheap or that is on your plate of responsibility also. Beware (!!) no one except small children forgives an ill-wrapped gift! Is there any relief?
It dawns on you one day that the joy, that magic, of the holidays was all a farce to trick you into buying into the hype. That surreal and mystical magic of the season is created by you – dedicated parents, family, friends, neighbors and teachers. Yup, take a good look at yourself in the mirror tonight and realize that it is you who keeps the traditions of the holiday season going. Okay, you and Gap’s great catchy holiday commercials and all of the other million and one companies pushing their products to the nostalgic jingles we all grew up singing.
On the flip side of things the smell of pine in the air is quite a pleasant one. I’ve never heard anyone complain about the aroma of a fresh pine tree and New York City streets definitely benefit from all the vendors in town with their pines lining the sidewalks. A walk down Broadway last night was pleasant one as I watched them build the stands that will hold the trees for passerby’s, tempting them to stop and spend their money. Also, because everyone is so stressed about keeping up with the holiday standards the pace at work tends to slow down a bit. Your boss is not in as early watching the clock because he/she is out gift buying for long lists of family members, neighbors, friends and their own boss. Take advantage and ride the wave of the season into the New Year.
Decide right now that no matter what your age is, keeping your sanity during this time of year is best. Take a yoga class, go for a walk outside or take a moment to read a short novel. Sundays in the city (or any city/state/country) are great for a walk because everyone moves at a slower pace. Remember to breathe deep and breathe long; six counts in, six counts out will calm down most of us. We have a long life ahead of us. I believe if one takes care of themselves and believes in their life we can reach 100 years old. Take your current age and subtract it from 100. That’s how much longer you’ve got. I’ve got roughly 70 more years to go (give or take a couple years). With that outlook as a pessimist I would be pretty miserable. I am here to suffer for 70 more years, lord take me know! I have two lifetimes left, why waste them brooding or cut it short by stressing about what you are unable to buy today, or the burnt turkey in the oven? Take a happy pill, or glass of wine/scotch and go sit in the room with your family. We have only have the present.
No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts,
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end,
This is my grown up Christmas list.
beautifully put, 5000.