Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Ponderings...

I have been fairly ill this past month..so haven't written much- but as I believe I am turning the corner in my newest challenge race, it has made me reflective....

Christmas is almost here, which just happens to be my most favourite holiday, and not feeling well enough to conquer the shopping festivities, I must admit that Chris has done a remarkable job of buying the needed presents for others.

We love buying and giving gifts to others--it probably is to us what this holiday is all about--appreciating our family and friends.  We love giving--I currently give to various charities, and when we moved and just gave so many of our belongings away, the look on the faces of the recipients was priceless.  The act of giving makes us feel happy and more so because in a lot of cases the recipients couldn't believe their luck in what we gave them - from furniture to surfboards to wooden children's play sets--it is the smiles that make us so happy.

So in this spirit I ventured out recently and found some good presents for family, and met many Christmas elves along the way--when one is happy in life it is amazing how others react--I love the smiles and well wishes and the joy that surrounds us when we shop.

Do this one little trick for me--when you are shopping this year, as it is always hectic, remember to smile at strangers, and always have a kind comment for shop-keepers.  It is amazing what a smile does.  I taught this to my youngest daughter, and she also admits that she is so surprised at the reactions she gets!  Sometimes the smile leads to a conversation, or a helpful tip on where to find a difficult gift--you would be amazed.  I try to do this now, year round.  Just try it--you will feel so good for doing so.

Well, we still have a bit more shopping to do, but I am sure that this will be a great Christmas for us all - enjoy your lead up to Christmas--I sure do intend to!