Blog Post #41: Christmas Special

I’m sitting on a couch in my warm, dark living room. Our large grey cat, Fluffy, is curled up on the other couch, fast asleep. The lights on the branches of our large, slightly mishappen, patchy Christmas tree (if a tree could be balding, ours is) are twinkling- lights of red, white, green, yellow, pink, and blue. 

I certainly have a lot to be grateful for. For starters, the fact that I have a warm home and a roof over my head, which can’t be said for everyone. The fact that I was able to cook and eat a lot of good food today- hummus scented with garlic and lemon and olive oil from scratch, or the lemon-cranberry loaf my sister baked.

Christmas is full of dualities for me, joy in seeing old friends and being with family, with our cat. Taking a leisurely walk through the empty, snow-filled streets at 4:30 PM (but it looks like 7:30 PM). And in these, being reminded that there are so many people in this world who don’t have the same things that I have- food, shelter, family or friends to be with. Thinking of those people makes me so sad sometimes I want to cry.

But what’s the use in crying? 

Not a day will go by on this Earth where nothing bad occurs, and that’s certainly not reason to cry every single day. That’s the yin and yang of existence, there will be no joy without sorrow, no light without dark.

Knowing this, I did two things today. I watched How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies with my mom. And I texted my dad goodnight, because although I couldn’t be with him today, I wanted him to remember that I love him.

My mom fell asleep halfway through the movie, so we didn’t finish it yet, but I already learned one important lesson. As our parents grow older, what they really want is our time (us being the children). And most children aren’t willing to give this kind of time. But the important part is that we try. The amount of time will look different for everyone, and there may be circumstances that prevent any contact at all. I think the best way to know what to do is to look inside ourselves.

Watching that movie, I was overcome with a sense that we are all connected. That Earth and everything on it is not a ball with lots of moving parts, but one, living, breathing, unit. Me to my mother who would give everything for me and my sister, to my father who’d do the same, my sister experiencing winter break as a high school senior, our cat who probably weighs too much for his own good, our friends, and even you, dear reader. In some way, when we were born to this earth, we were all put on this boat called the human experience- together.

Anyways, that’s it. I send my love to you on this night (or morning, depending where you are), and Merry Christmas to all who celebrate.

Peace.