Gradually Getting There

Christmas celebration, my favorite time of year and I think the perfect holiday to end a year, celebrating the birth of Christ. I deck my house with Christmas decorations mostly old, with a touch of new each year. Ceiling to floor, and each room has a touch of Christmas decoration to focus on the reason for the celebration. Holiday cookies, breads, and desserts are made from old recipes used each year that have been passed down. The baking gives the home a sweet, pleasant smell that makes taste buds tingle with anticipation of a treat. I truly enjoy the decorating, cooking and baking. Although the weight scale is hidden during this month, and number 1 New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight…lol.

Due to changes in my life, I have been busy looking for employment. I have spent a lot of hours on the computer filling in applications and uploading resumes. A challenge to gaining employment is I have been self-employed for almost eight years. Raising sheep and developing a solid flock of registered Dorper sheep has been my focus and employment. This weekend, I decided I needed a break from looking for work. I changed approached in looking for work to a full-time job, instead of a consuming obsession. Any full-time job gives the employee a day or two off. This weekend I took off from looking for employment to refocus on my home and Christmas celebration.

I had been focused so much on gaining employment to have a source of income other than the sheep, that my home and the celebration of Christmas was almost lost.

Fourteen days to Christmas, and I have not taken down the Thanksgiving decorations. There are no Christmas cookies or candies made, and recipes shared. Other years the home would be filled with the scents and pleasures of my Christmas cooking. Christmas cards and end of the year letters are not ready to be mailed. Usually this task is completed before the first Sunday in December. I have gifts completed and mailed to my sons and daughter before December 10, allowing time for the gifts to arrive well before Christmas. This year, gifts might be late in arriving.

Fourteen days to Christmas, I still have time to do the important things. First, I relaxed and stopped stressing about the employment situation. I have done some shopping, everyone seems stressed and in a hurry, not really enjoying the moment of looking for the right gift. It is hurry go here or there, put this in the cart, and rush to the next aisle for another gift to purchase. There are no smiles or happy faces, only line weary stressed expressions without joy or hope.

I was letting the lack of employment in our household take the focus away from the celebration, the joy and hope this celebration represents. One night looking at my un-Christmas home, I realized I was missing out on the most exciting part of the year for me. I was letting Christmas slip away.

It is amazing that we have the ability to stop, change gears and refocus our attention. I have fourteen days to celebrate Christmas with decorating, cooking, gifts and all the rest. I am not going to stress about getting everything done as they were done in years past. This is Christmas 2022, the only Christmas 2022, and it is only fitting that this year’s celebration should be unique.

amtolle