Merry Christmas 2022

There is something so special about the Christmas morning. The air feels crisp and clear while people in passing are extra friendly. The family holiday activities have slowed and out pop the neighbors, all smiling and full of pleasantries regardless of personal beliefs, so wonderful. This is what we hoped the day would be filled with.

As Renee and I began our walk this morning in beautiful Scotts Valley Ca. we feel the amazing 62 degrees at 10 or so in the morning and it feels kind of wrong, this is a warm December 25th even for California. As our smiles grow wider we notice everyone out is so happy, even the runners as they pass us are looking like it’s a hot summer day are complete with Cheshire Cat smiles on their faces!

As we drop down toward the back end of our walk about, after all the many smiling walkers, bike riders and children all saying hi, I begin to notice those who just might be struggling. Maybe all isn’t bubbles and rainbows. Here comes a woman pushing a man in a wheel chair, he’s there but definitely in a health battle far beyond I ever have. She sees us and immediately says “ Merry Christmas “ with a beautiful smile!

A little further down the road and across the street is a younger man not much older than our youngest son. Behind him is what looks like his Mom and Dad who are doing well but slowing down in life. We each share hello’s and Merry Christmas’s with smiles. We all are adding years in life regardless what we do, this is what we do.

So what Renee and I gleaned this morning, like many other times, life is what we choose to see in it. Is it half full or do we say it’s half empty?

Can we choose sadness to define our days or can the day give us happy times?