December 5 Noticing Joy

 My sweet, Bella is going through a separation anxiety stage. She always smiles when she sees me, and is agreeable to "go outside" with me,  but she keeps pretty close tabs on her mom is all times. By dinner time, I'm usually only good for "potty time." 

 Last night Mom and Dad were at a meeting so I, aka MeMe, was in charge of dinner.  Let me just say that feeding the Russian army might be easier than feeding this child. "No, No," said the petite child who suddenly developed Herculean strength and almost tossed herself out of the high chair.  The adage of the horse and water works for 2 year olds and milk as well. She was having none of it. Poor thing was in total melt down mode when her mom came home to change for a party.  

 No dummy, Bella, knew if she clung to her mommy, mommy couldn't go anywhere without her. Tension and anxiety were in the air. In an effort to distract her, we all walked to the garbage drop down the hall. When we noticed (today's SSJE word) this wreath on a neighbor's door, her mood changed. "Christmas!" she squealed. 

 We all stared at the the beautiful sight. It wasn't a star, and there were no angels singing, but for those few seconds Christmas magic calmed the heart of a little girl. The word "Joy" was not lost on me. 

 ___

I know too well how anxiety and stress can make a person cranky and clingy. My excuse is not a  developmental stage. It's more the result of trying to do too much, especially at this time of year. With 61 Christmases  under my belt, you'd think I would have learned by now that there's no such thing a "perfect." All I can do is all I can do. I've learned that the best holiday moments are just that - moments.

 Unexpected moments of wonder and surprise. I've also learned that it helps to have the eyes and wishful thinking of a child during the month of December. I'm sure a Christmas tree looks taller and prettier from the floor, instead of a step ladder trying to place the lights and ornaments just so. Hurried trips to the mall are more exciting when animated Christmas scenes capture your attention. Three feet of snow can either be a pain to shovel or a clean canvas for making snow angels. A trip to the garbage dumpster can be made special by a glittery purple wreath.

 Being an adult at Christmas is hard work. Why do I always forget holiday magic resides in the pure delight of a child? My sister sent me a daily devotional from Joel Osteen today. He quoted an article that said, " the average child laughs over 200 times a day, but the average adult only laughs 4 times a day. What’s happened? We’ve allowed the pressures of life, stress and more responsibilities, little by little, to steal our joy.

 To quote Oprah, one thing what I know for sure is when I'm with Bella, I laugh more. I see merriment in simple joys like squirrels playing "ring a rosie" around the trunk of a tree. 

 If you haven't laughed out loud in a while, I suggest you spend some time with small children.. Trust me, you'll be glad you did. 

 Merry ME

 *Joel Osteen Ministries 

Comments

Leah said…
This is precious!! :) So sweet!
December 8, 2014 at 9:23 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Every Little Bit Helps

Image
UPDATE:  I'll be picking a winner on Thanksgiving Day. So make a donation and leave your name in the comment section below.  ME UPDATE:  I see a tiny problem but it should be easy to fix. Commenting anonymously doesn't get your name in the drawing. And there's no way to tell Anonymous A from Anonymous B. Are you different or the same? I need to be able to get back in touch with you somehow. We can exchange email addy's later. But please at least leave your name. If you still comment as Anonymous, just say your name in the comment.  You can use first name and last initial. Or last name alone. Or an Alias. Just so I can get your name in the hat. And really, thank you. Thank you again and again. Merry ME _____ I always breathe a sigh of relief when a storm veers away from Jacksonville.  At the same time it's hard not to feel guilty that it went somewhere else.  I was in no way prepared for Hurricane Sandy. Like a lot of others, I felt like the...
Read more

An Easter Miracle

Image
How is it that after someone you love dies, time moves on even when it feel like its standing still? Philosophers, poets and writers have tried to answer that question since time began. I don't have the answer. I just know that, by what I can only imagine is the Grace of God, it does. When you heart is broken into something resembling a 1000 piece jig saw puzzle and there are no directions on how to put it together, somehow it mends. When some else dies and it cracks again, God stitches the old wound and the new wound together into a patchwork of healed scars. Fifteen years ago, when I watched my mother draw a breath then counted the seconds before she took another but none came, I sat by her bed and tried to imagine being a motherless child. Then I did what any kid would do, ran down the long hospital corridor sounding the alarm. "My mother isn't breathing." "My mother isn't breathing."  Want to see doctors, nurses, CNAs, and cleaning ladies tur...
Read more

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY BLOG PARTY

Image
In honor of women everywhere ... Welcome to the International Women's Day Blog Party (Turn up the sound: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuB3_HLcFfk ) International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. To this end, this party is a way to honor those special ladies who have inspired us and made us better than we ever thought we could be. It is with gratitude and pride I welcome you to my blog. I'm anxious to hear your stories and celebrate your choices. All you have to do is go down to the bottom of this post and click on the comment section. That will take you to another page where you can write your tribute in the space provided. You can use your Google/Blogger user name or remain anonymous. There is nothing to join. If you choose to post anonymously please leave your name in the comment section so we'll all know who you are. When you're through hit publish and voila your lady is o...
Read more