happiness and cheer

Once upon a time, I read in a very true, very sweet book this old bromide - "How heavily roll the wheels of others' joys when your own heart is sorrowful."

And though my sorrows are weighing me down, many needlessly so, piled upon my back because of my own flaws and superstitious little fears, as I wove around the city tonight, I was still happily aware of the beauty and joy of the season.

Memories warmed me, precious ones like glowing jewels on a queen's necklace, and images flashed past me - zealously decorated houses shining with thousands of lights and cuddled under fluffy white blankets of snow, a fir tree standing in an old house built by honest hands, covered with glittering ornaments and propped up by dozens of carefully wrapped presents, curling up in bed with a collection of Christmas stories on the Eve, surrounded by cats, chocolate candies and a radio playing carols, my little sister standing at a window, ringing sleigh bells to see if Santa would ride by in search of a missing reindeer, these and many many others in no chronological order.

I saw all of this whilst driving around aimlessly and realized afresh that though the past will never change, that though loved ones are lost, and that there are no guarantees of anything, there is a saving grace about life and human nature that allows us to be flexible and grow and rebound from any sorrow.

Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hanukkah, Bona Saturnalia, and to any holidays that I have missed - Seasons' Greetings.