The Miracle of a Gift

Well hello, welcome to my chaos. Where I make my chaos count and my mess truly is my message.

It’s that time of the year again when everyone is running around trying to buy that prefect gift for the person who has everything. Or finding the special person on your list the gift that will top last years. We run and run and run until all of a sudden it’s all over. When I say it’s all over it’s truly what I mean. No more love thy neighbour, give to the less fortunate, show a little more kindness to the people in our lives we take for granted everyday or showing up at your parents house because you love them and want to make real memories.  Well at least not until 365 days from now anyway.

Christmas used to be my most favourite time of the year. I loved to decorate our house with snowman of all sizes.  At one time we had so many snowmen we lost count.  A lot were gifts from family and friends. Each one held a special place in our home. The tree was full of snowmen ornaments of every kind, shape and size.  As long as the tree could hold it they were hung, stuffed and propped on the tree. Then came the house. This took hours maybe even days but it was so much fun because my daughter was there to help and my son when he was home.  We had ladders and stools and chairs and of course Christmas music playing loud enough I am sure the neighbours could hear and sang along.  Family and friends came to visit and enjoy the magic and love each snowman would bring into their hearts.  We all seemed to have our favourites.

But we didn’t stop there. We ventured outside as well. This is where my husband had his shinning moment. The lights came out and so did the generators. Oh my gosh. The fun we had and the creativity, especially being we lived on an acreage.  There was alot of places to put lights and if they didn’t go high enough for people to see and enjoy he would build something.  Then the neighbour placed a friendly bet and it became a yearly competition for a few years in a row. The looser bought dinner out and we enjoyed the visit.  I don’t think there was really a looser because there was a lot of happy faces and horns honk-in as they drove by to have their turn at looking at both sets of lights.

Then as we all know things change. The family dynamics change. Children grow and decide that working on Christmas and making the extra money is more important than spending time with family. Traveling home from afar just isn’t worth the hustle and bustle. Now you might be thinking we could have gone there but like I mentioned before the family dynamics changed significantly.  It has been 2 years since I have been able to wrap my arms around my children during Christmas or any other time of the year. When you remove the most important part of Christmas “Family “ Christmas just doesn’t seem to be important anymore.  Or does it????

You see this is where my mess is my message.

Christmas may be hard for me and I may not go and do all the things but it’s still in my heart.  When you carry the love in your heart you can make every day Christmas. Your Christmas can be what you want it to be. Each year I work at making mine better and better. I am a giver. I have always carried the gift of giving in my heart and I will always hold it and cherish it. That my dear friends is what makes me me! My gift to me! Gifts come in many shapes, sizes, styles, and come sometimes when you least expect them. Those are the true gifts of love. Those are the gifts we treasure. I have received a few of those and the most amazing thing is that none of them were materialistic. Most of them came in human form. In fact they have all came in human form. They did not require me to be anything other than my true self. My husband a true gift that came when I least excepted it and has helped me through a whole lot of chaos. I will share some of that another time. I hold him so tightly woven in my heart. You could say he just might be the wrapping paper on the gift under the tree. He holds the packaging all together. My two children , even though I do not get to have them around, they are a gift I hold in my heart. All the many times they have put smiles on my face and tears of joy in my eyes. They have made me proud more times then not. My two step children no one could ask for any greater gift of joy than these two. They have shared their children as grandchildren with me . I have watched their families grow and cheered teach of them on being so proud of each of their accomplishments and strengths and felt their support all the way. No matter where life takes them I will have them in my heart. A very special gift I received over the couple years is the reunion of love with my beautiful sister and her entire family. These beautiful souls hold a great space in my heart.  They have opened places in my heart that I had closed off for many years. Sharing memories of laughter, tears, hugs and old stories while we build new ones has been a true gift of love and acceptance I hold with great honour. I am so excited to watch them grow their family and be a part of it. Over the past years I have received the gift of friendship. So many wonderful souls have touched my heart and soul and have stayed. One very extraordinary sweet beautiful unselfish spirited friend from Creston. She brings me back to the mountains every year. But mostly she brings me back to me. Her love and caring compassionate amazing heart has touched mine in ways no other could. These are the gifts we need to concentrate on. These are the gifts I hold in my heart to carry me through not only Christmas but every day.

Take this message of love during this difficult season for some, tiring season for others, and very emotional season for those like myself and know that you are not alone. Take a few minutes in a steady seat, and soften your eyes, release your shoulders away from your ears……. take a deep inhale and slowly exhale. Repeat these words “I am not alone, I have many gifts in my heart”. Repeat this as many times as you need through out any time of the year that you need and know you are not alone. Feel the warmth that lives in your heart, the gifts that have been there and will always remain there because they are your gifts, they are your memories. If for some reason the person is not by your side the miracle of the memory, the warmth of the gift will live on for enternity.

Merry Christmas Everyone,

From my heart to yours

XO