All I Want For Christmas

All I Want for Christmas…

Trent here- It is that time of year again, when as 2017 winds down we embrace the holiday season and inevitably get super busy with holiday activities like putting up decorations, shopping for gifts and going to the cliche office party (people, do not get drunk at your office party!). These days can all be stressful…enough said.

These days are also a time of reflection and family. This is what I’d like to speak to. I think we have all heard it before or seen it in movies where the true meaning of the Holidays is found by the Scrooge or an otherwise shallow individual. But, is it as simple as the movies portray? Is all we have to do is open our hearts and it will grow 2 sizes bigger? All I can say is that it has been harder for me at times to find that sweet spot. I’m certainly by nature more of an introvert and emotionally guarded person. It comes from my youth. I was 1 day shy of 11 of when my mother passed away, which was 10 days short of Christmas 1987. This event changed my life forever. It left me skittish when it comes to my ability to connect. It didn’t make me less thankful, but it did make me distant. The holiday season for many years after ‘87 frankly was cold and unemotional. As I became an adult, I tried to make the connection to the spirit of the Holidays. I outwardly faked it.

But, let’s turn the tables on this sad story. Things in my life have changed so much more recently. Certainly, with age comes wisdom. But more powerfully, the people in my life profoundly chiseled my spirit out of the vault I had locked it into. Firstly, my children, who are true beacons of light for me, have shown me the spirit holiday spirit of unconditional love. Secondly, my wife Melanie has shown me the spirit of joy (and love) as a person who finds it herself in so much of what she does. She is normally a joyful person as many of you have no doubt found to be true in reading this blog. And you will definitely see that this grows 10x more so during this time of year! She is like Cindy Loo Who plus a really hot Mrs. Claus and then sprinkle in a dash of Buddy the Elf. Her spirit is contagious and has infected me through and through. I also owe my change in heart to my siblings Darin and Kelly and their families. They have filled me with the promise of the future. All of these people have filled me with the spirit of hope. They keep me from looking backwards and propel my spirit forward. It isn’t fair to just limit my renaissance to only the few words here or just these people. But, they are the most profound.

During these Holidays, I am truly thankful. I look at life so much more as gift that needs to be lived with joy for here and now. That, with the grace of God, we find joy in giving unto others our very best. I will never forget my Mom. I am thankful today for the life she gave me and the time that we had together. I feel that she is pleased to see me today embrace all that the holiday season embodies in the best of all of us.

Happy Holidays!

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