Thirty Days of November

NaBloPoMo. National Blog Post Month. A post a day for the month of November.

I did it.

The month began with irritation at people who did not behave appropriately.

It ended with refreshment because of those who did.

One of my favorite things to do is seek wisdom, advice, refreshment, guidance when I'm having a hard time with the elements of daily living. Never sure where is the help or from where it will appear. Sure, though, from whom it comes.

Normally one who tantrums against commercialism during our winter holidays, this year I decided to take a different approach. Rather than let my foot step onto the bah-humbug path, I've decidedly set my foot on the path I want. For a change. You can't fight City Hall, you can't fight glitzy advertising, greed, and manipulation at Christmas.

But while meandering store aisles you can see past the glitz and greed. You can see shining faces of children in stores, a hundred lights reflected in their wide eyes. You can notice excitement in women who select just the right ingredients, fingers feeling for ripeness, freshness, for nothing else will do. You can observe uncertain yet eager men carefully selecting gifts for adored wives and children.

Sure, there are bobbing-headed, over-scheduled children coughing, wheezing, and boogering in dozens of shopping carts. And yes, most of the women appear bedraggled, fed up. Certainly crabby men at Christmas are a dime a dozen. But if you search, you will find. Maybe not in every store. Maybe not every day. But look. You'll see. The Spirit of Christmas lives...quietly.

This year I choose to watch the bubbles on the simmering eggs, smell the love in the fresh cinnamon rolls, taste the voluntary surrender of the early morning hours in tender turkey. I choose to seek out the lovely, the kind, the giddy, the joy in strangers. I will smile at them and they will smile at me. Kindred spirits who refuse to let the dark into our lighted souls.

My personal desire this Christmas? To create joy for others and for myself. To create a place of refreshment, the comfort of home. Soft candle flames, aromas sweet and savory, peace in word and deed. Creation, honor, attention. The unconditional love of family united. To keep kindness safe here in my nest, and to carry it with me when away. To share.

After a mid-year experience of the larger family divided my sights are ever more honed on the one true thing: love. Division created by its absence taught me the lesson well, for the void is cold, hard, uninhabitable.

No longer numb to what I've taken for granted I feel sincere love this Season - it shines and rings and scents my heart with its sincerity.

Good, when compared with evil, glimmers all the more.

Seek the good and you shall find.

Thanks be to God, the giver of all good gifts!

Now where is my tea? My footstool? A long month of typing is over.