Bittersweet

This is such a bittersweet time of year for me. I love Christmas and all that it brings with it, especially the closeness to family - near and far. I feel a little sad when it is all over, wishing that we could be closer to extended family more regularly so our girls could grow up with their cousins and grandparents close by. It seems I always spend a couple of days after the new year moping about not quite finding the heart to officially remove Christmas from our house. But then something happens. I wake up one morning and feel a frenzy coming on, I suddenly feel like everything must come down at once! I hurry downstairs and begin the thankless job of pulling down the garlands, removing the poinsettias and boxing up the santas. But it is o.k, I have mourned sufficiently and now I am excited. I take down the santa hats and replace them with our hand crafted peace doves, all the while envisioning a clean fresh start for our new year. I love to replenish the kid's art supplies and place them front and center on our coffee table so they can create at a moments notice. When it is all removed I look around and I have a choice to make. I can look at it through eyes that see emptiness and loneliness or through eyes that see clean, new and endless options for my family. I choose the latter.

Happy New Year!