I just walked in the door from my travels. Usually, I unpack as soon as I get home, but today is special and it needs to be recognized.
It's Christmas morning.
So . . .
A Very Merry Christmas to you all!
I don't miss all of the commercialism associated with this day, but without it and the reminders of buying and giving, the day can seem like just another day. You have to make a conscience effort to recognize and appreciate it.
The seven hour flight from Paris turned into a twelve hour one. We were late leaving because of heavy runway traffic, and I missed my connecting flight. Then there was a four hour layover to wait for the next flight to travel less than an hour (the missed flight was 55 minutes long) to get to Abu Dhabi. Plus add another three more hours of driving to get home.
It's been a long day.
As I was waiting in Bahrain, I was mentally writing a blistering letter to the airlines letting them know this layover was unacceptable. The connecting flight had not left when we arrived, but they chose to depart without us. Not sure who made that call, but it was a lousy one for the majority of us, as Bahrain is a major hub and most of us had connecting flights.
Anyway, I wasn't feeling very festive, but then I remembered what day it was, and I was reminded to be grateful.
Especially today.
I decided not to write this nasty-gram to Gulf Air.
I'm sure there's a reason I was delayed. By the time I got on the road at four this morning, there was virtually no traffic, so it was smooth sailing all the way.
Now that I've set the scene as to where my head was early on this Christmas morning, I have made the necessary adjustments, and now I want to take this opportunity to continue to share my attitude of gratitude.
I appreciate and . . .
I'm grateful for . . .
My boys, and the fine husbands and fathers they have grown up to be.
I'm grateful for my daughters-in-law, for the love and patience they've brought to their homes.
I'm grateful for my girls, Zadie and Milu, and the joy they bring. I believe God knew what He was doing in giving me sons to raise because that's all I knew, but having these little girls now, is an amazing blessing. I appreciate the joy of having them, without the job of raising them.
I'm grateful for my brothers, and their wives (even the crazy, wicked one). There's a reason for having ugly people in our lives. We appreciate everyone else that much more.
I'm grateful for my family and friends, and the many people that have crossed my path on this journey.
I'm grateful for the technological advances in computers and online communication that have made it effortless to keep in touch by phone, video, and through email (and social media, which I haven't ventured into yet). I remember when Ben was living in Indonesia in 2004, communication was a challenge. We've made incredible gains since then.
I'm grateful for the wisdom that I've gained as I've gotten older. It doesn't have to take years to figure things out, but in my case, it did.
I'm grateful that I learned to forgive. I was 55 when I got it, but I figured it out, thank God. Believe me when I say choosing to forgive has changed my life. I know I harp on this a lot, but this "thing" blocks us and holds us back from being all we could be because we choose to be stuck on stupid. It saddens me to hear of siblings who are estranged, and kids who have rifts with their parents, and every other kind of mess that keeps our relationships stressed and strained. Let me encourage you. Swallow your pride and be the bigger person. End the madness. Make it right now, whatever "it" is. Do it for yourself, and because it's the right thing to do. No matter the response of the other party, take the high road, until they figure out it's the only road if you're looking for peace.
And, finally . . .
I'm grateful for you, for taking this journey with me.
Merry Christmas!
It's Christmas morning.
So . . .
A Very Merry Christmas to you all!
I don't miss all of the commercialism associated with this day, but without it and the reminders of buying and giving, the day can seem like just another day. You have to make a conscience effort to recognize and appreciate it.
The seven hour flight from Paris turned into a twelve hour one. We were late leaving because of heavy runway traffic, and I missed my connecting flight. Then there was a four hour layover to wait for the next flight to travel less than an hour (the missed flight was 55 minutes long) to get to Abu Dhabi. Plus add another three more hours of driving to get home.
It's been a long day.
As I was waiting in Bahrain, I was mentally writing a blistering letter to the airlines letting them know this layover was unacceptable. The connecting flight had not left when we arrived, but they chose to depart without us. Not sure who made that call, but it was a lousy one for the majority of us, as Bahrain is a major hub and most of us had connecting flights.
Anyway, I wasn't feeling very festive, but then I remembered what day it was, and I was reminded to be grateful.
Especially today.
I decided not to write this nasty-gram to Gulf Air.
I'm sure there's a reason I was delayed. By the time I got on the road at four this morning, there was virtually no traffic, so it was smooth sailing all the way.
Now that I've set the scene as to where my head was early on this Christmas morning, I have made the necessary adjustments, and now I want to take this opportunity to continue to share my attitude of gratitude.
I appreciate and . . .
I'm grateful for . . .
My boys, and the fine husbands and fathers they have grown up to be.
I'm grateful for my daughters-in-law, for the love and patience they've brought to their homes.
I'm grateful for my girls, Zadie and Milu, and the joy they bring. I believe God knew what He was doing in giving me sons to raise because that's all I knew, but having these little girls now, is an amazing blessing. I appreciate the joy of having them, without the job of raising them.
I'm grateful for my brothers, and their wives (even the crazy, wicked one). There's a reason for having ugly people in our lives. We appreciate everyone else that much more.
I'm grateful for my family and friends, and the many people that have crossed my path on this journey.
I'm grateful for the technological advances in computers and online communication that have made it effortless to keep in touch by phone, video, and through email (and social media, which I haven't ventured into yet). I remember when Ben was living in Indonesia in 2004, communication was a challenge. We've made incredible gains since then.
I'm grateful for the wisdom that I've gained as I've gotten older. It doesn't have to take years to figure things out, but in my case, it did.
I'm grateful that I learned to forgive. I was 55 when I got it, but I figured it out, thank God. Believe me when I say choosing to forgive has changed my life. I know I harp on this a lot, but this "thing" blocks us and holds us back from being all we could be because we choose to be stuck on stupid. It saddens me to hear of siblings who are estranged, and kids who have rifts with their parents, and every other kind of mess that keeps our relationships stressed and strained. Let me encourage you. Swallow your pride and be the bigger person. End the madness. Make it right now, whatever "it" is. Do it for yourself, and because it's the right thing to do. No matter the response of the other party, take the high road, until they figure out it's the only road if you're looking for peace.
And, finally . . .
I'm grateful for you, for taking this journey with me.
Merry Christmas!
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