I hope your Christmas Day was as enjoyable as mine. It was a mixture of downtime, opening presents, eating great food and way too much of it, keeping the fire alive the entire day, reading, and observing the Fraley's as they went from the nicest family to one of fierce true competition in Phase 10. (The skip cards were being used as effectively as I have ever seen them played)
It was a great Christmas and yet I must admit that it was a hard one as well. I understand a little better what my wife went through last year as we celebrated Christmas with the Barlow's. It's not that you aren't happy, excited, and thrilled to be with your new family through the excitement of marriage, but you realize you aren't with the same people you previously celebrated Christmas with for the last 25 years.
I could hear a twinge of sadness when I talked with my parents and siblings and rightfully so, but from what I have gathered it sounds like they have had a wonderful Christmas as well. I would have loved to have taken a ride in my little sis's new car and helped my niece with play with the kitchen set she got from Santa Claus. (I would have had to have helped with the assembly of the kitchen and I am grateful that I was not involved in the 3 Am assembly shenanigans that Dad and J were going through.)
But this is a part of life and I would argue it is a good part of life. It is the part of life where people change, some traditions are either ingrained or uprooted all at once. Family members who have been stuck with one stereotype (mine Little Lord Fauntleroy, and I love it!!!) are given the chance to undo those thoughts and become different if they so choose.
Change is not always better. Change for the sake of change typically is not, but change embraced openly and looked at with the opportunity for better, especially when it is inevitable change, can be a time of growth and learning. It still doesn't mean it will be better, but it can still be very good in it's own respect. (I hate that society has made things have to be better or worse and always compared but I will pontificate about this at another time.)
I hope that is the case for my family, myself, and all those that I love this year in particular. That we look at the changes as they are coming (so swiftly now it seems) and dig our heals in for a few traditions and be willing to let a few of them go. That we let some of the stereotypes go as well except in happy memories and for a couple of laughs.
Christmas came again this year, Hallelujah! I am grateful more and more every year for Father (or Mother) God for sending his (or her) Son into the world for each of us. I am less worthy of the grace and more grateful to have it each year we celebrate the birth of Jesus. I just hope the wise men make it this year! I am pulling for em and will be on the lookout and hope you will too.
Merry Christmas!!!
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