I'm thrilled (and a bit surprised) to report that this holiday season has been one of the best family times we have ever had. The highlight for me was having Christmas Eve lunch with my mom at Perkins (perhaps my favorite restaurant). I had my favorite ham & cheese omelette, crispy hash browns, and the most amazing trio of pancakes, smothered with blueberry syrup. Aaaahhhh....life is good. Mom and I had the opportunity to talk with more sanity and honesty than we ever had. We cried. We also laughed. We laid down a foundation from which we can now move forward in our relationship. It had stalled for a bit. But it took cracking it open (with a crow bar, she'd say) this past August, and then continuing with a bit of distance and clarity from that conversation, at this Perkins in Rochester, Minnesota. For this time with her, I'm truly grateful. It's amazing how much hold on your emotional health a relationship with your parents can maintain even at this age. I'm thankful for a breath of fresh affection having been blown into ours.
Part Two.
I love the challenge of finding simplicity in the midst of the big city. The hustle & bustle can put up quite a fight, but I feel a bit victorious when I'm able to find a quiet spot (like the one I'm in right now- a great coffee shop in Uptown Minneapolis), or the quiet spots I found last night (the solo spot at the sushi bar at the Mexican/Asian restaurant AND the time walking on the iced-over Lake Calhoun in the middle of downtown). I wasn't alone, it wasn't so much quiet, but it was me finding a simple joy that resonated within my soul. That, to me, is so awesome.
Joy, sometimes creeps up on me. At other times, I chase after it. And when I'm lucky, like this week, it's all over me.
Joy to the World, and hopefully to YOU, as well!
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