In an unusual circumstance, Christmas and Hanukkah agree on this year’s date and the New Year is only lagging by six days. Okay, I know. That part is normal. The point is; there’s a lot of holiday in our immediate future. It’s a good time to step off the treadmill of life, and take a look around at the gifts you have already been given.
For us this year, it has meant spending time with friends we’ve made through our local writer’s group. They are all people we didn’t know a year ago as the group was just getting started. Now, we’re great friends. The simple act of putting a notice on Facebook to see if others were interested in starting the group, has enriched our lives with friendships that will endure the test of time. By the very nature of living where we do, there is a built-in kinship with these other citizens of the world, no matter in which country they began life’s quest.
One of our daughters got married this year. Seeing her storybook wedding come true was a once-in-a-lifetime event. We would have moved heaven and earth to be there. Oh, wait, that’s exactly what we did. Still, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
My Spanish gets a little better every day. Let me rephrase that. Me español esta mejor un poco a poco cada dia. I have a wonderful and patient maestra who has committed her life to the study of languages. She also lives across the street, takes ballet classes from Carmen, has us tend to her kitty when she’s out of town, and has become a great friend.
Speaking of where we live, it is another gift that we get to unwrap every day of the year. My five minute walk to the beach is rewarded with the view of our amazing bay that manages to look a little different each time I see it. As I look over the Pacific Ocean, its vastness is overwhelming. A boat heading due west from our beach would sail over 13,000 miles of water before finally landing in Vietnam. The endless kaleidoscope of life that flows above, on, and below the water, speaks to the vibrancy of this one-of-a-kind planet we have been given. Living in a place like this, I am given this gift every day. I make a point to accept and absorb the positive energy that flows from this magical spot with every footprint I leave in the white sands.
Gold, Cash, Robbery, Deception, Romance and a Shocking Finale are waiting for you in my book “Breaking The Weak Link” Click to learn more.
Many more gifts have come in the course of this past year, and I am grateful for every one. It won’t matter if there’s nothing for me under the tiny Christmas tree we put out each year. The gifts I’ve received throughout this year are more than I can recount.
So, Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, and every other salutation that fits whichever holidays you chose to embrace. Hold on to them tightly and recount all the gifts that have come your way this year. Unwrap them again and enjoy what you have been given.
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