For a Christian, the meaning of Christmas is obvious. For a young child, it is about experiencing the joys of the moment. For the parents of a young child, it is primarily about hopes for the future. For someone of my age, however, it is a milepost on a road that gets shorter with each passing year. It is about reconnecting with youthful memories–most of them happy–that remain buried between January and November. Above all, it is about remembering the people (and in my case, the dogs) that you loved who are no longer here.
That sounds pretty melancholy, and it is, but there is an undeniable strength and a richness to feeling your roots which transcends sadness. And so, I try to embrace the entire complex emotional package. I might as well–there’s no place to hide, anyway.
Merry Christmas!