I saw this the other day and thought, “I can relate.”
The holidays can be such a busy, stressful time for a lot of people, but it’s not just because it’s the holidays that I’m so busy. Things just seem to have been hoppin’ in my life for quite some time now. I keep waiting for things to settle down, but then something else comes up, on and on it goes, and now it’s Christmas time.
I have always loved Christmas, absolutely everything about it. There used to be a time when my daughter was little (and when I was younger too ;)), when I was all finished up with the “busy stuff” of Christmas before Thanksgiving. Gifts wrapped, Christmas cards addressed etc. and I would just spend that time in between Thanksgiving and Christmas baking, decorating, being festive, and just enjoying the company of friends and family. But now, after more than just a few major life changes, everything is different, and my perspective on things has changed a bit, and not just about Christmas.
But either way, I’m totally stressed out right now and finding that I’m having a bit of trouble feeling that ol’ Christmas spirit. I’m really tempted to rebel against all the Shtuff* I have to do and take that nap instead. But for the sake of my family I will suck it up, take care of everything that needs doing, and make myself be Merry and Bright (right after I finish complaining ;)).
But I really can’t complain because even despite life’s difficulties, busyness, pressures, and stress, still all I can see is how totally blessed and fortunate I am. Truly. I have only to look outside of myself at the others around me out there in the world to realize it.
In moving back home and being in my “old neighborhood” in the inner city, I see so many hurting people who are in true dire situations and struggling just to survive. I think I have stress? This is nothing! At least I have a nice warm bed to take that rebellious nap in if things get too overwhelming, some of these dear souls around me don’t even have a place to rest their weary heads. Shame on me for complaining about anything! For real. Oh, am I having trouble finding my Christmas spirit? Am I stressed out? Boo who, suck it up and count your blessings Missy! Indeed.
And here are a couple of them ~ my precious daughter and my dear mom…
Haha yeah, you should see our other attempts at trying to take a little family photo in front of the tree, we so totally fail! Maybe they would have turned out better if we would have had a person taking them for us instead of using the timer on my daughter’s camera. We tried to take a few with our 3 cats in them with us too, but those all turned out being just a big blur. There is one semi-nice posed one of us that my mom intends to send out in her Christmas cards this year, but this one was my favorite because it’s a better example of our typical behavior. 😉
~
To be completely honest, I guess I should mention here that even just trying to take those photos was a stressful ordeal, that’s probably why I like that particular shot because it was one of the moments during all of that where we were having fun. And that’s what it should all be about. I love my little family. ♥
Well, I’m off now to go and run a myriad of errands. Christmas Eve is only a week away! No time for naps! 😉
But when I do lay my head upon my pillow, I will count my blessings instead of worrying…
~A very Merry Christmas to you and yours~
Ramblings From Jewels 