Maybe you have guessed that I am loving that song. I heard a simple instrumental version recently and really loved it.
Years ago, in another life, I was living in Riverside, CA. I went to midnight mass at St. Catherine's Catholic church with my family. It was very crowded with standing room only and the family was not all together because of that. I love being in a big crowd like that and singing because there is this energy and reverberation that can only come with that situation. It also allows you to sing really loud which I was doing and whatever song we were singing had Hallelujah in it. The man standing next to me told me I sang beautifully which makes me laugh. I can sing, but not beautifully. It was the joy of the moment and singing really loud, but I still feel good when I think about that moment.
I am sitting here in the last hour of Christ mas eve so I can be here in the quiet of the house and the dark of the night while I anticipate the moment the clock clicks over and Christ mas arrives. The tall dark handsome one has gone to bed and my two four legged friends are snug in their beds.
I went out to the grocery store today and realized exactly what a mess we have ourselves in over this one day. People are either very happy or grouchy. I like the happy part more. I just don't think this is what God/dess had in mind for this day. I am still working on my Christ mas cards and probably won't put them out to the mail box until Friday or Saturday. Some people would tsk-tsk me because I am late, but my theory on Christ mas is this....the 12 days of Christ mas begin on Christ mas day and end with the epiphany which means I have all that time to accomplish my goal, visit with family and friends and enjoy the heart of the season. Most people rush around thinking everything has to be done by the 25th of December and they make themselves crazy trying to meet that goal. I used to do that when I had small children, but I learned.
Christ mas is so much more than just shopping and wrapping and pleasing tiny people. I love that it is a time for bringing families together, thinking about what they want or need, breaking bread together and making new memories. Even though we all logically know it is to celebrate the birth of Christ, I still think that gets somewhat pushed to the back in all the hustle and bustle.
I don't belong to a formal religion nor do I want to, and I don't attend any particular church. What I do do is celebrate the wonderfulness of the world around me everyday. I cannot help myself. Nature is amazing. That is only a small portion of the wonder of my day.
I have friends and family in almost every faith, yet today when I was walking around the grocery store the thought popped into my mind that when peoples of the world started moving to this place called America, they were mostly Christians and Jews. Now they are so many faiths walking the city streets that being politically correct dictates you say "Happy Holidays". The young girl that works at the FedEx store even said that to me. Can't go there. I don't wish to offend anyone, but think about it....the world still mostly revolves around the thought of Christ mas. So I'm going to say it. Merry Christ mas. I even got to say Feliz Navidad to someone today. All the years I was growing up, having children and moving into middle age, I don't know of any Jewish friend that was offended by all the Christ mas goings on. They were happy in their own world celebrating life and faith in a way that is centuries old. Yet there you are.....being a Christian is also centuries old. No matter how many Christian religions there are, celebrating Christ mas is the same. Same same, not same as an old friend of mine would say.
So this is Christ mas, what have I learned?
I want to wish you a Merry Christ mas from the bottom of my heart during a tequila sunrise. Okay, you can laugh now. It was just the order of music on my radio, but it made me laugh at the thought.
From my heart to yours.....Merry Christ mas. Be abundantly blessed, creatively divine, exceedingly fun, gregarious, helpful, intentional, joyful, kind, loving, meditative, natural, ordinary, playful, quiet, rested, serene, true, understanding, valiant, wise, Xtra of everything I've mentioned, yourself, and zany. No zombies allowed.
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