Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Holiday Reflections.

Sometimes the best gifts don't come wrapped with a pretty bow and placed under a Christmas tree.
Often times with the holidays, we become wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of it all. It seems that with every year, the holidays become more and more commercialized, more materialisitic. We fuss about the perfect gifts, the perfect decor, the perfect attire to accompany our image for the parties, etc.

This year, I took one evening to take a drive and find some peace in the whirlwind that has been the past few months. During my drive I passed several holiday displays of lights and stopped at one. It was a very humble display of lights, but one that was hung with love. The front porch, bushes, and a tree or two, were strewn with white lights. It wasn't over-the-top, and it certainly wasn't keeping Ameren UE in business by any means. It made me smile.

I sat outside of that home and began to think of how much one's life can change in literally a year's time. And then I cried. I cried for how far I have come to get to this place of happiness, which is quite far. Looking back on it all, there was one thing that had remained a constant, despite so many changes.

That constant, resided in the home that I was sitting in front of, that has the humble lights that made me smile. It is the constant, the warmth and the comfort that is real, genuine, love. It is quite possibly the best gift of all.

This "gift" that is love, is my boyfriend. Through all of the changes I have experienced over the past year, he has stood by my side through it all. We have laughed together, traveled to foreign countries (while narrowly escaping cavity searches and death), shared the happiness that is gelato on a scorching day, and trips to no place in particular for the sake of exploring, meeting family and friends and yes, a few tears of laughter and a tear or two of sadness. He has been by my side through it all, my boyfriend, my best friend and love.


And that evening as I got out of the car and wiped away the tears and went inside the warm home and saw him sitting in his chair, watching football, and looking over to smile at me as if we hadn't seen each other in a zillion years (though I am sure it was only a few days), I knew I had the best gift of all.

Though my health isn't perfect, I know that having him and having each day with him is quite a gift in and of itself. I would trade a million tomorrows to know that I could have many more Christmases with him.

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