Hey there, Mamma. Good morning. So last night husband and I sat down with the kids to talk about the next couple days. Disappointment is simply the distance between expectation and reality, and we wanted to be sure we set a clear picture of the next couple days. We also wanted to understand everyone’s expectations of the Big C. (Claus? Christmas? Christ? Yes.)
This year will have to be a little different for us. Heaven help you when you are forced to change a tradition that the kids love, but sometimes it can’t be avoided. So we sat the troops down, explained the situation, and asked them how they’d like to handle it. We offered a few suggestions, but mostly let the kids direct the conversation.
No surprise, we have a plan. Everyone is aware of the plan, everyone has accepted the plan, and everyone feels like they were part of crafting the plan. Whew.
Christmas, like life, won’t be perfect, not in my house, not in your house, but it can still be good. Christmas, like life, does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.
I know something is missing, I know something isn’t what you hoped it would be. Rest assured, no one else out here is perfect either. Find your good, girlfriend, identify your good. Soak up the good in your life, be grateful for it, let it fill you with warmth.
Maybe talk to your munchkins, what do they need? Maybe talk to husband; he might surprise you with what is important to him. And have a little talk with yourself while you’re at it. What do you need out of this holiday, Mamma? Can you get a little of it? Or a lot? Or enough?
It does bear repeating: disappointment is simply the distance between expectation and reality. And this bears repeating too: Christmas, like life, does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.
Fix your eyes and your heart on what is good in your life. There is so much that is lovely there, I know there is.
With love,