Moving on from the holidays

[media-credit id=3 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]

The 2012 Christmas season is now history.

I savored the last lingering magical moments. Each precious memory made this season filled my heart with immense gratitude.

I loved all the fires crackling in the fireplace as well as votive candles flickering on the mantle.

[media-credit id=3 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]

They illuminated gold angel figures and a team of sparkling reindeer pulling a sleigh, which held an attractive dried floral arrangement.

The best part of the season, as always, was gathering with friends and family members. Our loved ones give special meaning to life.

They are our best gifts, never to be taken for granted. When they are gone, they are gone forever on this earth, and the ache inside our hearts for them will never go away.

The decorations, food, drinks and music of Christmas all brought a huge measure of joy. However, without friends and family to enjoy them with, they wouldn’t mean as much.

There’s absolutely no doubt Christmas remains my favorite season of all. Around here, we begin decorating the day after Thanksgiving. There’s an intense desire to stretch out the season to make it last as long as possible.

This year, things actually rolled along quite smoothly, thanks to advanced planning and carefully orchestrated “to do” lists. I checked off each completed task calmly and without fanfare. I really wanted to remain peaceful this season and did, for the most part.

[media-credit id=3 align=”alignleft” width=”300″][/media-credit]

I also kept a “things to do differently” list with next year’s Christmas festivities in mind. No need to make mistakes over and over again when we can learn from them from the get go. Then we don’t have to repeat them.

Do you like to look at gifts you received and determine which one you liked best? My favorite gift this season had no price tag.

It was having my first and only granddaughter nearby to love and cherish. She was born in September, and, at four months old, has enough girly outfits to qualify as a pint-sized fashion diva.

I loved seeing her wear her reindeer hat with tiny brown antlers. Her red dress with roses across the bodice just about melted my heart.

[media-credit id=3 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]

Her great big eyes, so new to the world, opened wide at family gatherings. She surveyed aunts, cousins, grandparents and uncles with extreme curiosity.

So many people wanted to hold this precious new person. Babies have the ability to generate oodles of love in every direction.

They are so sweet and innocent. Their very presence gives us hope for the future.

So now it’s time to begin plans and goals for the new year. That’ll be the subject of another column.

In the meantime, if there’s someone you love who is nearby, tell that person how much you love him or her, and really mean it.

That’ll be a good way to start the new year of life.

Posted by Susan M. Wicker Guerrero on January 17, 2013. Filed under Columns,From the Heart,Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry