Embracing the holiday spirit in due time...
It’s not in my repertoire to rah rah sis boom bah through life, let alone the holiday season. Hence, Burl Ives singing “Have a holly, jolly Christmas/
It's the best time of the year,” or, Andy Williams professing “It's the hap-happiest season of all”--do not jingle my bells. Although I’ve admitted to neutralizing my stress by occasionally binge-watching Hallmark holiday movies, it’s more for respite rather than delight.
It usually takes an epiphany for me to embrace the holiday spirit. For a child growing up during the Sixties, it took over seven million twinkling lights illuminating Edaville Railroad to open my eyes wide and flood my heart with holiday magic, as told in “The Magic of Christmas,” one of the 100 wild mushrooms in my memoir collection.
Last year, I’d written the memoir, “Trafficking Christmas,” where I experienced an attitudinal adjustment listening to the radio in standstill traffic on a major roadway. While I couldn’t clearly discern the words to Celine Dion’s version of “Ave Maria,” the harp glissandos stirred my imagination to envision all the vehicles surrounding me as graceful ballet dancers on a macadam stage. A diva’s soothing voice eliminated a stressful situation for me to count my blessings and give pause to those less fortunate.
This year my attitude of gratitude took hold from a rude awakening that afforded me a second chance in prioritizing what really matters. The scare of a callback medical screening hovered over me like an ominous cloud for several days, affording me ample time to ruminate about everything I’m grateful for on a daily basis. I was euphoric when informed there were no signs of any malignancy, fully aware that others waiting in the wings wouldn’t receive the same glad tidings.
Although, I think we all have many defining moments, somehow, inconsequential matters take precedence. This time, my emotional trauma representing the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future all rolled into one, prompt me to maintain a healthier perspective when navigating rocky terrain.
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Being Jewish... A fully non practicing Jew, Christmas has to me and my family always been a non religious family time when we get leftover ham for the next few meals. At least it is no longer left over turkey.
I'd say "Happy New Year" to you now, but I know we'll be in touch again before 2022.
Mark
Anyway, having received the same good tidings, "No cancer cells found." I can rejoice with you as well. Now, I will resume eating my way through the abundance of the season, gaining weight every day. ;-)
Ron