“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” -Oscar Wilde
Reducing the holiday experience down to the most basic elements is one way of getting back to the memories that are most precious and the experiences that are most sought after. As cliché as it sounds, late night cookie baking can be as sweet and tender as life gets. This week I have been visiting with one of my oldest friends and her two very little boys. I met her at the birth of my 4th child over 12 years ago. This year she is the age that I was when she became my doula and dear friend. Now we are bathing and rubbing lotion on her toddlers.
Christmas has the chaotic, sweet feel of little kids amazed at the colored lights and in awe of the world around them every five minutes. As challenging as it is to attend to the children, there is little that is so immediate and raw as the pure love of children.
Find the places in life where there is nothing showy going on, the raw moments when you are just yourself in the world. These are the moments when we access the curiosity and openness of the child’s mind. The story is not so complex because we are not following or creating a story line, we are just in the moment. Seeking out and enjoying the simple pleasures of life is the key.
A worthwhile aspiration:
“You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need. ” -Vernon Howard
