Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Slow Down

I am not a Grinch.  I love my holidays.  I enjoy my seasons.  But I find myself becoming bitter over the fast forward Christmas has taken in our world.  I know what you will say to me, consumerism yada yada yada...but it isn't just businesses.  I see people I know and like as humans posting pictures of their Christmas décor already on display.  Might I note it is November!  A house on the block over from us was all aglow with Christmas lights last night as well.    Also local radio stations have begun their all Christmas music programming, one of the two I speak of started November 1st.  Recently a friend sassed well change the station. Oh how I wish I could.  I wish I could hit a worldwide pause button right now.  I want to slow down the world. 

The world moves so fast anymore.  Much of this is beyond our control.  But I look at this one piece of life and say but this is.  Just because corporations think we have to start Christmas in October along side Halloween doesn't mean we should buy in.  Breathe, pause, and take some time to enjoy these days and hours of fall.  Give each season it's due.  Reminder that winter doesn't even begin till December 21st.  And the twelve days of Christmas actually begin on December 25th and end on January 6th. 

I have a personal stake in this too.  Some very big things happened in November!  My Ella was born on Nov. 11th!  My Dad celebrates the birth of the Marine Corps on Nov. 10th.  And hello I got to come to be in this world on November 27th, thanks to some crazy hardwork on the part of my Mama!  And Thanksgiving is there too, which as I age has become more of a day I enjoy, especially the idea of pausing and giving gratitude for this life we are blessed to live. 

So the idea that people are in such a hurry to get on with it and skip over all that is November hurts me.  I want to relax into some peace before we jump with both feet over November and into what has become a bustling December.  I want to enjoy, pumpkins, and the crunch of leaves, and the weather as it starts to change.  I want to enjoy seeing my baby celebrate her Birth.   I want to eat turkey and stuffing and pumpkin everything.  I want to pause and focus on my gratitude for these hours and moments.  I want to take time to say thanks for getting to be born myself.  I simply want a pause button.

I love the idea of December and the idea of Christmas holidays, in fact it is one of the times of year I enjoy being at home the most.  I enjoy decorations and gifting and gathering with friends.  I enjoy the music the movies and hot cocoa by the tree.  But I enjoy those because they have a time and place in my world.  They have their season.  Their season is not right this moment I am pressing pause on it and stepping back to enjoy my November.  I encourage you to do the same.  Enjoy the seasons as they come slow yourselves down.  Use your own pause button.  Do not fast forward your lives!!