‘As I was sitting in the living room today, I heard sirens from down the block. After a few minutes I looked up at my mom and asked “What is that?” Her reply “It’s probably Santa Claus on the fire truck.” I jumped off the couch & ran to the front door. I am almost 32 years old, but as I stood on my front porch, I found myself filled with excitement, the kind of excitement that spreads through you until it bursts out through a cheesy smile. At that moment, age became irrelevant. All I knew was Santa was coming and I couldn’t wait! I stood there & I was 6 years old again. I couldn’t feel the cold wind whipping against my skin because happiness was coursing through me as I eagerly waited to see that jolly man in the red suit. And then, there he was, with his white beard and big belly, sitting on the fire truck, throwing candy and waving. With the biggest smile on my face, excitement & the belief of magic still coursing through me, I waved back! He then shouted out “Merry Christmas!” As soon as he had come, he was gone just as fast. I stood there, frozen; thinking how much I missed being a kid & how such a simple, innocent moment in time could be one of the best. As I came back to reality and watched the last of the fire truck fade out of my vision down the road, I looked around and noticed that none of my neighbors, young or old, were outside. Not one person! And I wondered where has the Christmas spirit gone?’
Another year has passed. Christmas is upon us again. Lights are carefully strung from trees, presents are being wrapped and kisses are stolen underneath the mistletoe. Oh wait, that was Christmas 30 years ago. For so many people these days all Christmas means is the holiday drinks at Starbucks are available again. There are still others out there who become overjoyed with the season and not because we get to drink Eggnog Latte’s. The lights, festivities, Christmas music and family warms them from the inside out. Why as adults do we forget to enjoy the simplicity of it all? Are we so busy with our lives that we can’t remember to feel joy or to smile or laugh? What happened to that feeling of excitement we would get when we knew Santa was coming?
I still find myself not feeling the desire to focus on the past year, because it is just that, the past. But I do believe in sharing the love that I know, the advice I can give and the things I have come to realize & have learned. I find myself surrounded by an amazing & supportive family. A family that has flaws, but we love each other regardless. And no matter what the bad, there is always more good to remember, to keep us grounded. Loving, supportive friends who make me laugh and are there no matter what. Arguments are shared; opinions often differ but none of that matters, because ultimately we love each other for who we are, the family we were able to choose. Throughout this past year I have learned that mental happiness is the key. Happiness. Its sounds so simple, yet we all make it much more complicated. What we need to remember is happiness isn’t something we acquire; it’s more a state of mind. If you find happiness on a day to day basis, the rest falls into place. Ultimately, the point is to live & truly experience the moments. Laughter, friends, family, smiles, heartache, pain, loss… you have to feel it all. You don’t get to choose which you feel. And feeling all those different things is what makes you the person you are, what carves out the intricate lines of your life. On the other hand, you do get to choose how you handle what you feel. When faced with the best or worst of moments, you decide how you move forward.
So push yourself harder. Take risks. Don’t live in regret. Smile. Your smile brightens the world to someone. Love with everything you have. Drink hot chocolate, listen to Christmas music & pack yourselves in the car and admire the Christmas lights. Someone took the time to put them up for you to enjoy. Roll down your windows on nice days & let the breeze hit your face & rock out to whatever is playing on the radio, who cares if someone is watching. Get caught in a thunderstorm, grab a friends hand and sing & dance as if you have nowhere else to be. Say thank you. Wear what you want & when you want and know you look good in it. Believe in yourself. Take pictures and don’t care what you look like in them, it captured a memory. Say I love you. Read a classic book. Grab your best friends & jump feet first into the pool in the heat of a summer night. Pay it forward whenever you have the chance. Learn something new. Swing; swing so hard your feet touch the sky & remember the possibilities you felt when you were a child. Laugh. Share stories with loved ones. Be kind. Take time to notice the little things, sometimes it is those things that remind us what it’s all about. Believe. Believe in magic, in the possibility, in the mystery, in the innocence we all once had.
So from me to you-
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! I hope its Magical….
Much Love Always,
J. Danielle
