It's that time of year again, Christmas. This year I am trying to figure out why the holidays are so stressful for so many people. For one thing its the end of another year. Come on now, seriously, how happy can we be that the years are rolling along faster than we ever imagined.
What's worst though is that we all have visions of Christmas filled with family, laughing kids, grandparents that are so sweet, big beautiful houses with fireplaces, snow, and of course joy, endless joy. All of a sudden for one day of the year we all try to be like that, a perfect, porcelain make-belief family, with no cracks or edges. All my life I coudn't understand why I was so depressed around Christmas...well maybe it was because my family was nothing close to that dream. My parents argued, my brother and I would pick at each other untill someone ended up crying. The next day, boxing day, everything was over except for the leftovers and the crazy, shopping-madness during the after Christmas sales. That was it.
Another year and NO MAGIC!!.
Then adulthood came with divorce and the joy of sharing your kid on the holidays. Christmas eve with dad....Christmas day with me..and the stress and sadness continued. Except now I had the added stress of trying to create this perfect environment for my son. I had sworn my Christmases would be different, they would be special.
After 50 Christmases under my belt my experience tells me that the dream is only that, a dream that will never be real because its so stupid. We cannot pretend to be something we are not. We are not dolls, we are people with lives that are sometimes painful and hard and sometimes wonderful. Our parents treat us like 10 year olds even if we're 50 but you know what, we love them anyways and to this day I would trade anything in the world to hear my dad's complaints at Christmas just one more time.
My effort to make Christmas special continues basically for my youngest son, but what I pledge to never do again is to try to change all the things and people around me for that one day. I pledge to make things special and childlike everyday of the year. I pledge to love and care about my family and friends every day, and I pledge to teach my children goodness everyday and not only around Christmas.
Having said my peace, now I can cook for my family and friends!!
What a relief!!
My recipees coming soon......
4 comments:
Wonderful....wonderful and ohh so true! Well said Titsa, and once again you have nailed it. Lucky for me however didn't have to deal with divorce and sharing the holidays, however I am experiencing it now through the eyes of my sister and I cannot imagine how difficult it must be. I guess we'll just have to make the best of it...
Can't wait to for the recipes. Merry Christmas to you and to your wonderful family....xxox
"Χρειάζομαι χρόνο για να θυμηθώ τα μικρά μου χρόνια.
Φαντάζουν μακρινά μα ζωηρά μέσα σε φως.
Ίσως ξεχνάω λεπτομέρειες.
Ότι παραμένει πιό ζωηρό και φωτεινό στο νού μου είναι η φωνή της...
Να με νανουρίζει...
Ακόμα..." Τάσος Μπουκουβάλας 2009
Καλές γιορτές να χαίρεσαι την οικογένειά σου και περιμένουμε τις συνταγές σου.
Titsa, judging from that dinner last summer, I think you'll have a great Christmas!
Na sai kala!
Aristofanis Soulikias
It has always been a way for me to express my love to my friends and family. I think my friends have all experienced this from me.
Elsa, Taso and Aristofani and all my silent readers and friends ..I wish you only the best..
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