Have you seen the new Target commercial where people are preparing for the holidays and they keep saying “Done,” “Done,” “Done?”
All these people checking the next thing and the next thing off of their lists as they move toward the holidays?
That’s how I’m feeling about the passing of time, right now.
Like we’re wading through every 24 hours, and at the end of the day we just say “Done,” and move on to the next.
I think it is the danger of the holidays.
Early in the season, we begin marking time as we make our way closer and closer to whichever holiday it is that we celebrate.
We forget to slow down and enjoy this time and we certainly forget that time, once checked off our list, is gone forever.
It’s hard not to do this.
Even as I write this, I feel the burden of everything to be “Done” this weekend:
a trip to the Division of Motor Vehicles, Monkey Girl to voice lessons, two birthday parties for the boys to attend, church school for the monkeys, laundry for everyone, grocery shopping for the upcoming week, grading of student blogs, Christmas shopping to be done…
We all have similar tasks, and the mental checklist is hard to avoid.
So, my challenge to myself is to get the tasks “Done” but to slow down and enjoy each one.
To truly experience everything we are doing, and BE there…not mentally check it off and move to the next thing before it’s done.
To remember that, once it’s “Done,” it’s done and you can’t get that time back.
And time lost is the worst loss there is.
So, I hope you join me and that this holiday season can be different for you, than seasons before.
May we find ourselves at the end of the season not feeling like it has flown by and with little memory of exactly what we’ve done.
And may this be the slowest and most enjoyable holiday season you can remember in a long, long time.
I’ve been struggling with this as well. I have to do x, y, z and often the kids are just along for the ride.
Something we are doing to ensure that all of us stop and focus on each other and the holiday is to do an advent activity. Wesley gets to pop back the tab on the advent calendar we have, then he gets an envelope with a pre-determined holiday activity on it. The first day, we watched Christmas movies. Yesterday, we painted Christmas trees, angels, stars, etc. Today, we are going to decorate a gingerbread house.
Wesley seems to like it so far.
Comment by nicdowell — December 3, 2011 @ 8:38 am |
Love it, Nichole! That’s really a great idea. I’ve got to try to get something similar going here. I know the kids would love it!
Comment by abozza — December 3, 2011 @ 8:48 am |
How about replacing the “done” with “enjoy”. I am a list maker to the nth degree BUT I am working on this other approach and it is helping me re-focus and savor the true meaning of Christmas. Of course not over-scheduling each day and keeping the “gift-giving” part simpler is helping as well.
May you all have a blessed and peaceful Christmas up there in chilly land–hee, hee, Couldn’t resist esp when our temps today hit 72!!!!
xox Carla
Comment by Carla — December 5, 2011 @ 7:48 pm |