The lights of the Christmas tree glow and create a warm corner in the dim light as the sun rises outside. The fireplace also compliments the room with the golden flames. The rest of the house is quiet on this Sunday morning. It is quiet outside, everything muffled by the new snow that fell while we slept. Today is a day of possibilities, although not much promises to get done when more snow is predicted. There are the normal chores to move through today: laundry, dishes, work stuff...but nothing major.
Today will be a day to work on getting the new nursery ready for our baby, who will be here in about a month, give or take a few days. The girls will most likely spend their day in pajamas, unless they try to venture outside to play in the snow while I shovel the walk and driveway. Even the dog and cat only got up when I ventured downstairs this morning to make coffee and refill the food dishes. They are now back either in their basket or in front of the fire, content to let the snow keep falling.
We are nearly at a time in the year where things stop and all are given time to just rest and reflect. There has been so much this year to be thankful for. I am thankful for the health of my children and my wife. The older I grow, the more I acknowledge the importance of health. The shield of seeming invincibility that I once carried is now almost completely gone, and the reality of life being a finite thing is truly sinking in. It is not that I feel old or that anything is happening with my own health, there are just times when I recognize how fleeting life can be. Sometimes I lay awake, thinking about all that there is to do and accomplish, and I am overwhelmed.
It isn't 2017 yet, but we are all starting to look ahead to the next year and the possibilities it brings. What adventures will we have? What can we do differently to make our lives better? More complete? This is the time of year we look around and ask what will help to define our lives. What can I do? Who can I interact with? Where can I go? There is no one correct answer, which makes this process all the more open-ended and flustering. Sometimes I know what I need to do, and other times it is like taking a leap of faith. Has there ever been anyone who took a last breath and felt content...or were they so motivated to seize each moment that even they were not satisfied with the life they had lived?
But I digress. I am content here on the couch. The sun has risen, yet again. My oldest daughter has woken up from a night of not feeling well, and is now asking for pancakes. She has her health back, and to start the day with such a thing is a blessing. So now I take a deep breath and give thanks and step into the day that is given, feeling satisfied and not worrying too much about where this time will land in the overall puzzle that is life.
-a
No comments:
Post a Comment