Let there be peace on Earth

Hello All,

It is oh-dark-thirty as I write this. There are only a few creatures stirring in this house! George, because it is his new favorite time of the day to wake me up……Geoffrey, because he follows George’s lead…..and me! Bob and Gene, smart man and cat, are still sleeping.

There is something peaceful about sitting in the dark with just the twinkling of the Christmas lights wrapped around the banister of the staircase. The only sounds are the heat as it cycles on and off, and George purring because his mission to get mom up was successful. I am sure I am not alone across the globe as many moms and dads are valiantly assembling presents as part of Santa’s Elf Brigade,  stuffing stockings that were hung with care, eating cookies and leaving crumbs as evidence, and ensuring their Elf on the Shelf safely returns home to the North Pole! It makes me nostalgic thinking about my mom and dad doing the very same things for Garry, Cheryl, Larry and me. It reminds me of the anticipation of Christmas Eve, trying to stay up to hear sleigh bells and trying to figure out how Santa actually got into our house! (We had all sorts of theories about that!) Then the excitement of the first glimpses of the presents under the tree. Memories of my favorite doll, Chatty Cathy, who my mom said was just like me! (I was quite a talkative child! Imagine that!) And my favorite adult present of my engagement ring from Bob tucked into the toe of my Christmas stocking. These are just a few of the many, many reasons this is my favorite time of the year.

In the quiet of this Christmas morning, I reflect on how truly blessed I am. I have an abundance of riches with my family and friends, with the love we all share. I have a life full of laughter and joy. I have the opportunity to serve. I have the opportunity to write this blog. That doesn’t mean life is perfect; it does mean that no matter how imperfect, it is still wonderful.

My Christmas wish for all of you is that this day – and this soon to come year of 2021 – be filled with laughter, joy, and love. Because it is not about the things around the tree. It is really about who is around the tree and who we carry in our hearts.  I wish for the day that we are able to once again hug freely. I wish that we find a way to heal our minds, souls and nation so that each and every person has what they need and feels safe. I wish we find ways that no person goes ill, hungry or homeless. I wish we realize that we are all equal and important…..and needed. I wish that these vaccines bring an end to this pandemic. I wish that there be peace on Earth.

Helen Rice Steiner said “Peace on earth will come to stay when we live Christmas every day.” My 2021 goal? To live Christmas every day.

Phyl