Pure Bliss

As it does for every family, Christmas day came and went this year in a flash.  All of the preparation and planning.  All of the baking, shopping, and wrapping- all for this one huge day.  Like a wedding day- it played out beautifully and then, faster than you can say, "Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle"- it was done.  I found myself like I do after every big event that I take weeks to prepare for, sitting there walking in circles, confused over the slower pace and with a tad bit of post-Christmas blues.  Now what?  What’s the next big thing to look forward to?  How else am I going to fill every void minute of my day?  (yes, I have a sickness called, "ConfusedwhenIhaveasparemoment Disease")

Often this planning for these momentous occasions can overlook the things we  find pleasure in every day.  As much as I hate to admit it, in the craziness of it all I find myself losing my patience with my kids.  Bedtime stories are often cut short or instructed to “choose a quick book tonight,” as I have cards to stuff or messes that are awaiting me.  And as counter-productive as this seems to be towards the real meaning of the season- this is just unfortunately the nature of the beast.  I then resolve to do better in the new year.  I'm sure that like my own, many New Year’s resolutions often are a direct result of the holiday’s guilty decisions.

Yesterday, as a result of my mom casually mentioning how much she loved to go ice skating as a young girl and how she hasn’t done it for years and years, we decided why not bring the whole family to the local ice rink?  So we dug out hats and found matching pairs of gloves for everyone (as in matching the other hand- an accomplishment within itself), and set out on our big family adventure.  And that it was.

They aren’t many that can please and occupy everyone from a crazy rambunctious 7 yr old boy who never sits to 50-something grandparents.  However, on the ice- we all were one and shared the same common goals:  Do not fall and look like an idiot and/or cause an injury that would last well into our new year.  Did we accomplish our goal?  Heck no.  We fell, we got bruised and bumped, and I got a blister the size of Texas that I'm paying for today.  Luckily no major injuries- though my son banged his head pretty hard twice on the ice, but refused to stop skating. Already such a man in so many ways!

We also laughed at our foolishness, and smiled out of delight.  We helped each other young and old, and challenged each other- showing off our skills.  We entertained ourselves in our own foolishness.  We felt like kids again.  And we all left feeling refreshed mentally and physically having done something good for ourselves.  We felt joy. 

This is a picture of my mom.  I love it because you can see nothing but pure bliss on her face.

Me with my two best friends in the world- my sisters :-)  A great day.

What is it that brings your pure joy in its rawest form?