Work In Colour - Work. Think. Live. In Colour
Wednesday 23rd December 2009 | 8 comments
Last night, I lost it.
Christmas had become a mad rush to buy stuff, cook stuff, finish work, make phone calls, see clients, clean the house, prepare food and...
My intention had been to make all our relatives Melting Moments biscuits from my grandmother's handwritten recipe, attaching a copy of the recipe for everyone, in her writing.
I went to the cookbook shelf to check the quantities last night so I could finish my shopping list, but the book wasn't there. No recipe, nothing to copy in her writing, nothing.
The last straw.
It was my son who picked up the pieces. While I wallowed in self-pity, off his own bat he made a list of everyone who needed presents on Christmas day, he thought about them and suggested a gift for each, from a 'gianormous' box of chocolates for my choc-addicted stepfather recovering from major surgery in hospital, to teddies for our young cousins and a 'spa soap thing' for my lovely niece just back from roughing it as a backpacker for the last 8 months.
He is just 14, my son.
A recurring theme on his list was candles, and I remembered this quote from the Buddha:
Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness doesn't decrease by being shared.
And that's what Christmas is about, too. Not the presents, not the tinsel, not the rushing about. A chance to reconnect with family and friends, to share our lives, to laugh and sing (well, in my case, maybe not the singing bit). And yes, I know I am not the first person to work this out...
So, whatever else we bring to Christmas lunch on Friday, we will also bring a candle for each person present and a copy of that quote.
May your Christmas bring you happiness, and may our paths cross in the new year.
Beautiful Joanna. How wonderful that your son can step in and help when you're feeling overwhelmed. That's the real gift at Christmas, isn't it? I hope yours is happy and relaxing.
Dear Joanna,
I enjoy all your postings but I think this one is very special. While it shares a personal 'experience', it also sends a strong message of what Christmas is all about.
You are not aware of it but your work touches many lives. Thank you for all your imparting of knowledgeand sharing of experiences in a real fun way. I enjoyed attending your classes and am sorry to miss the last two due to commitment overseas.
All the best for 2010.
Thank you Kate and Violi, what lovely comments. Have a lovely Christmas
Joanna
Just lovely Joanna
Like a lot of things in life..Christmas is about the people and not the things.
Funny enough I was also getting candles to include in pressie's for people. Mostly for my adult children and partners.
To me they represent lighting the flame of inspiration that lives in us all.
Enjoy and all good things for you on 2010
Ah yes the Christmas overload sounds very familiar. I lost the will to live after writing Christmas card no 4 this year and gave up. Nobody will really mind and it doesn't really matter.
What a wonderful son you've got!
And I agree with every word of Violi's.
Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year when it comes.
Thanks Ensha, thanks Grace. Isn't it mad that we mostly all feel the same way and yet we keep doing it - love you giving up on the cards after number 4, Grace!
Maybe next year I will have a candle party instead:)
Poor Joanna! You sure put the melting into that moment!
Lucky your clever boy pulled you from the fire. Try as we might, we can't get anything like that kind of high quality input from our Jack Russell Terriers.
Good on you for waxing lyrical for our benefit. I'd go on to say that no-one can hold a candle to you, but that'd just be silly.
Best regards, and then some. P. :)
Best to you too, Paul. (And I find our labrador similarly useless when it comes to practical assistance, though he is peerless at comfort of the tail wagging kind..)