Peace be with you....

One of the things this season is truly about...

I have been very busy lately. Busy with work things that have nothing to do with the holidays. Busy with work tasks related to the holidays (such as gifts from all of my students to their parents, gifts to my many parent helpers, gifts to my colleagues, and student teacher, planning and shopping for my classroom holiday party), and just busy with Christmas preparations outside of school in general. I have been tired. I missed a couple of holiday get-togethers I wanted to attend. My office, living room, and dining room each contain a mess from projects in process. My Christmas card order was missing half the cards (thank you Tiny Prints for resending!) Our tree is not yet up. However...

The other night Miss P and I were driving home from errands. It was game night, and I was pooped after a long day. P and I were trading riddles and jokes. I was concentrating on topping P's joke - what do you call a container that talks a lot? A chatterbox! When it hit me. Right now, at this moment, my big challenge is coming up with a joke to amuse myself and my six year old. That is all I am thinking about. My mind is clear. I am at peace. There have been Christmases, and times in general, when I have struggled to relax and live in the moment. Even though I experienced happiness, there was still a worry of some kind in the corner of my mind. I am so grateful to have the gift of peace and happiness this year. The ability to live in the moment and have times of carefree gaiety, like a child. So many people do not have this. It is something that can easily be taken for granted, but not by me!

I hope that all of my *readers* can experience peace for the remainder of 2010!