Christmas

The holidays are good for many reasons; not just for being with family and friends, not just for receiving presents, but also for taking stock of your own life and the people in it.

This year my mother-in-law came into town to go to church with me, B and my dad. I was so happy to have them with me in church, and I was also very happy to recognize many faces in the congregation as well as up on the altar.

My MIL told me that she was invited to go to a Christmas service at her nieces, but instead she told her niece that new traditions were starting, and her place is now here with us. She doesn't know (yet), but that does mean a lot to me.

Growing up, I always wanted to have family members come see us for Christmas, but our parents weren't the social types. We went to NY when I was very little, but after a few times of traveling up and down the east coast for Christmas, that stopped, especially when my grandmother passed away when I was eight. My grandma also came down to see us several times, but again, after her passing, Christmas became a much smaller and quieter affair. I know B has a hard time with many people in his house, but I like having people come and go, and I also want to have a house that is a stopping/meeting place for many, during the holidays.

I feel very blessed this year. Knowing how people are struggling this year gives me a sense of humility and luckiness at the same time. People's lives can change in an instant, and in the meantime, it's important to appreciate all that we have and not lust after things we do not.