Life, Day by Day

The year 2013 will soon end...and I suddenly think, where did all that time go?  In fact, it's more like...where did all those years go?  Like the song Sunrise, Sunset in the musical Fiddler on the Roof (with a little twist)..."I don't remember growing older...when did I? Wasn't it yesterday, When I was small?"

This Christmas 2012 is probably one of the busiest holiday season ever for me.  It's weird because there are only a few relatives left here in my area, so except for the usual family gatherings on Christmas and New Year's eve, we have nothing planned.  However, there were so many other activities both at work and our volunteer organizations, invitations from friends for baptisms, weddings and other gatherings, that I found myself tired at the end of each day with no energy left to go online.  Or maybe because I am back at work and it now entails traveling (driving) a total of 40 or so kilometers a day. This situation should have given me a lot of stress but wonder of wonders, I actually did not mind not getting my daily 6-10 hours online fix.  Oh wow! I am not addicted to the internet!

Here's what I have done so far.  I have four glass cozy designs and I have done 3 of each one which is far below my target of finishing 2 a day.  What can I say?  I think I am the only unemployed person I know who is always running out of time.  So if I can't make this on time for this year....there's always...next year? There is only 7 days more till Christmas and I am only halfway through. And there are so many activities and events this coming week like 2 weddings, meetings and parties (I know...excuses, excuses) that I don't think I will have enough time to finish 3 sets of 4 each. Oh well, it's a good thing that all of my relatives will be spending Christmas out of town, so that gives me more time...in time for the New Year, I mean :))  

The Christmas season is here again and with it comes the year's most excessive consumerism ever. The buying frenzy begins on Black Friday (for those in the U.S.A) and continues all season long.  It's also the time for racking up credit card debt and getting all stressed up with decorating, parties, shopping, spending etc,. etc., etc...Arghhhh! Christmas isn't about presents ...Jesus was born in a manger bereft of even the most essential physical comfort, so why has the celebration of His birth turned into so much materialism, and the gift-giving and decorating part have become so important that the essence of Christmas becomes secondary?  Last year, my family and I have decided to cut back on our Christmas decorations.  We did not put up our big tree, instead I got a table top tree which we decorated with LED lights which uses less electricity.  It was enough to put a fascinated smile on our little girl's face.  We will use it again this year adding ribbon...

It is just a few more weeks till Christmas and without a regular salary, this holiday season will be a little different from last year's celebration.  But this is not the first time that our family will have a simple Christmas...we experienced this in the late 70's when my brother had his accident and we were financially drained. However, just like then, we will not be any less festive or joyous because the essence of Christmas is love ...and we have plenty of that to give around and to share.  We will be putting up our Christmas decorations starting tomorrow and our Advent wreath will be ready too. The only thing we will be missing out on is the requisite gift-giving...which is really unessential and can be dispensed with in relation to the true meaning of Christmas.  Besides, our family practice is to give each other meaningful tokens on special occasions...nothing big but something that is well thought of and not given for giving's sake.  For needs, they can get ...

Today is Christmas Day ...a few more hours and it will be a day of the past. I went to hear mass at 11 AM, having overslept after our noche buena celebration which ended at about 2 AM. As I listened to the sermon, the words of the priest struck a note because he talked about something which I needed to hear.