There is something about the day after Christmas that I find peaceful and joyful. The hustle and bustle is over,the shopping is done, the gifts are all open and the cooking and consuming of the large holiday meals is over. There is no pressing holiday schedule and everyone is content to just relax and enjoy the day.
I took a nice long walk on the lake with Tess and enjoyed the sun and the quiet. It is now time to take stock of the past year and begin to focus on the new one ahead. A time to be grateful for our blessings and also for the lessons learned with life changes and challenges.
We enjoyed the first Christmas in our new home and it is just the beginning of combining our old traditions with new ones. I miss the times when our children were up at the crack of dawn waking us up, but now that they are grown, agreeing on a reasonable time to rise and open gifts is not too bad either. Now it is the parents waking up the teens and young adults in our household.
I enjoy the day after Christmas for the peaceful contrast to the holiday preparations and celebrations, but one would never be quite as good without the other. It is the contrasts in life, the challenges and the blessings that bring color to our lives. Without some of the bad, we would never appreciate the good as much. Fond memories keep us warm during the dark days. Of course the key is to appreciate the good days when you are living them.
I wish you all the gift of peace and joy in the coming year. It is often found during the most surprising times and in unexpected places.
