Holding my breath.

I don’t know about you but I am holding my breath right now, and saying a little prayer that nobody from our little Thanksgiving gathering gets sick. As my earlier post said, I tried to have people outdoors, and we ate on our porch and deck. We kept the group relatively small. Thankfully the weather was absolutely lovely and people could be comfortable outside. Still, I’m nervous. I hope that my family members who came together do not get CoVid. I would feel awful and I would really regret the day.

I know many of us our ‘holding our breath’ these days as we start to prep for Christmas now. The coming days and weeks are usually so active, with shopping, with dining with friends, having special cookie exchanges, concerts, company parties, and the like. Most events have been called off – or will be small and outside.

I know this sounds kind of strange, but I’m actually kind of happy that this year we have to tone down the preparing and partying. I usually stress in December – I’m usually thinking about making everything ‘right’ and trying to stay above all the commercialism. I think this year might be a bit easier to focus on the real meaning of Christmas, which is the coming of Jesus into the world, sent by God for us all. The newborn baby born in a simple stable to young parents – who were unsure but trusting. A child born in Bethlehem to teach us, to show us, to love us. We won’t have all the normal distractions this year. We won’t wear ourselves out running here and there. Expectations have been lowered this year. I’m kinda glad.

There is no doubt that 2020 will go down as a year of great turmoil because we faced so many challenges….CoVid effected jobs & livelihoods, and the economy, and it made thousands and thousands sick – and yes, thousands have died. It has changed our ways to gather, and to celebrate. And – It has been shown that we can’t always come together to conquer a hardship. In fact, CoVid has separated us even more – so much so politically, and By questioning truth and lies. 2020, for being a term for seeing through eyes with sharpness and clarity, has been exactly the opposite. We have lost belief and trust.

So – I’m holding my breath on what comes for the new year. I’m very hopeful for the vaccines that may get approved soon. I’m also hopeful because we will have a president that will calm us all down. I can’t imagine 2021 being harder then what we have already gone through. And, I know history and I know people suffer through times, and then come through It… and they come together again. I know we can do it.

So, this coming month is a month of waiting – of anticipating. Quietly, slowly preparing for Christmas. And, it’s a time to wait for a new outlook in America. It’s time to take A few deep breaths and let the days go by.