Frenzy to the Finish Line

Life is busy these days. It’s the Frenzy to the Finish Line. The time of year where stress levels are at an all-time high, and I tend to lean on my horn while driving a lot more frequently (not in a nice way).

My Recreational ADD has gotten the best of me, and I have neglected blogging.  My To-Do lists seem to get longer and longer, regardless of how much time I spend checking things off. Work has been demanding with the year-end push to get those final sales on the books, with a smidgen of overnight travel mixed in.  And when I leave work in the evenings and it's nearly dark out, I feel like I am rushing to one meeting or another, preparing for Junior League Holiday Market, or fighting crowds in the grocery store because I forgot a few items during my weekly shopping trip.  Some days, I feel like all I do is rush around and accomplish absolutely nothing.  Our dry-cleaning pile has overcome our poor closet (As I was sorting through it yesterday, David and I both discovered clothing that we had forgotten we owned. It was half- embarrassing/half-exciting.) I have made feeble attempts at getting the house cleaned up and ready for Christmas decorations: D-Day (Decoration Day) is looming.  I’ve got list upon list of ideas on what gifts to buy family & friends. I fought an exasperating battle with our washing machine the other night, as she refused to enter her Final Spin cycle. (And it was just my luck that I had the most absorbent items in our house in there.  Super fluffy bath towels & a bath mat.  When I say that they held about 30 lbs of water, I am not exaggerating.  Thank goodness for Mom & Dad living close-by with a fully-functioning washing machine! And thank goodness for a wonderful husband who can magically fix these sorts of things without a repairman!)  Also, we are doing some exterior painting to our house, somewhat unexpectedly (more on this to come). I haven’t been to the gym in over a month and a half, simply because I can’t make the time. (Unless, of course, I went at 6 AM. I'll pass.).

I don't want anyone to think I am complaining because I am not.  If I was complaining, don’t worry, you’d know it.  I can be quite proficient at whining. I have a great life that I am so very grateful for, and I am sure my daily struggles pale in comparison to others'.

My point in all of this, is that the one time of year where we are supposed to slow down, reflect, and give thanks, seems to get steam-rolled by the Christmas rush and other year-end commitments.  The Christmas “season” starts earlier and earlier each year, and the importance of Thanksgiving fades into the background as we are inundated by constant holiday commercials on TV, glitzy decorations in stores, and our Christmas To-Do lists.  So, this year, I plan on pausing and giving Thanksgiving it’s fair due.

There is so much in my life to be thankful for. It’s such a humbling experience to take a few moments and really reflect on how fortunate and blessed we are.  I won't create some long list for you of everything I am thankful for because it would take forever, and I am sure you probably aren't interested (although, I must mention how thankful I am for chocolate. Chocolate, I can't make it through a day with you).  But seriously, if you sit down and make a list of all the things in your life that you are thankful for, the petty issues and fretting that consumes us on a daily basis becomes so unimportant.

My grandfather, Papa, has a saying and it sums it all up for me.  He always says, “All you really need in life is faith, family, and a few close friends. If you've got that, what else can you ask for?”

These three seemingly simple words are the cornerstone of what makes my life meaningful.  So, this holiday season, I am not going to have a panic attack if the laundry doesn’t get folded until tomorrow, or we eat soup out of a can for dinner 3 nights in a row, or I get stuck in traffic for 25 minutes on Forest Drive.  I am not going to glance at my watch while I am out on a weeknight with friends because I am afraid I will be tired the next day by missing my “bedtime."  I am not going to hurry to get off the phone with my mother because I am sitting in my car in the Target parking lot and am ready to go inside.  I am going to spend time with my family and friends and be fully in the moment, instead of letting the stresses of the season steal the true meaning of it all.

Faith. Family. Friends. And a good dog, of course.

Let’s give thanks.