The Catharsis of Christmas Lights

As I’m writing this, I’m hoping all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and took time to reflect upon what you are thankful for. I know I did. As you know, I’ve had a cold for the past couple of days, and I’ve never had a cold hit me like a freight train before, but I think I’m over the worst of it (At least my bitchy-ness. I am NOT a good patient), and I’m thankful that the common cold is just that – common. There are so many other people in the world suffering from much worse.

The past few weeks have been a bit harried and traumatic for hubby and me. His company is downsizing, so he took a ‘severance package’ and left the company he’d been devoted to for 15 years. That coupled with the fact that his father was just diagnosed with mesotheleoma cancer is a bit overwhelming, to say the least. So, you can probably imagine what it’s like trying to get into the holiday spirit with so much of ‘life’ that seems to be falling away at every tick of the clock.

But just when you think your whole world is falling apart, that’s when life throws you a curve ball and you realize just how fortunate you are. This evening, hubby and I went to see The Blind Side at the movies; a film about a real life family who takes in a young man who came from barely nothing, and just by being himself, and with the encouragement of kind people, rises above and exceeds far beyond his wildest dreams. It humbled me.

So, it’s just after midnight now, hubby has gone to bed and while I’m still high on NyQuil, decide to begin phase two of decorating the house for Christmas. Last night was phase one, and I won’t even go into it. We all know what it’s like to open that closet full of decorations and realize, my goodness, where do I begin? With the Christmas tree lights, ornaments or chotzkies?

This evening, I thought I’d get started on getting the Christmas lights in order – you know to make sure they at least work and are untangled. Look, I don’t care if you are Martha Freakin’ Mother Superior Stewart, when you unpack last year’s lights, they will be a tangled hotmess no matter how meticulous you were putting them away. As such was the case (again) this year.

So, I diligently sat down on the carpet in the living room. The house was quiet, except for Christmas music playing at a whisper level on the radio. It was just me and my cat Luis – there in the middle of the living room trying to achieve some catharsis with the annual Christmas light duty.

I managed to get four sets of lights untangled and in working order, but as every year has it, I’m sure I’ll be at the store to buy new lights, because I just don’t have the patience to untangle the untangle-able (and those folks that sell these lights know this!)

Our cat, Luis, is purring on the sofa to my left, neat piles of lights that I’ve ensured work are to my right, a candle on the table I have my feet propped on is lit, and Karen Carpenter is singing Sleigh Ride on the radio.

…and I think to myself, how fortunate am I to have a sofa to sit on, Christmas lights to fight, curse and exhaust myself over, and a cozy home and friends and family to call my own.

For this I am thankful.