Not your Granny's Cranny!
Sharing my Learns & Feels along the way, of all things Life, Love and Niche & Cranny!
Yesterday morning, I walked into my twelve year old daughter's sleeping bedroom to wake her for school. As I whispered "Morning, Babe! Time to get up," my daughter rolled over and without opening her eyes, or missing a breath, she asked "Who won, Mommy?"
With those three little words, I instantly felt the darkness of the room surround me. I sat down on the edge of her bed and whispered, "Trump, Honey." And with that, her eyes shot open in shock, wide as saucers, and she gasped in her first breath of the day. This day... a new day. A day with an outcome that we hoped would be different. A day that we, here in our house, hoped would begin by learning that our country had elected her first female President. That's the day my daughter and myself had hoped for... But that was not to be the day, on this day. This day was to be another day that my twelve year old would realize that in life, things don't always go the way we hope, or believe, or count on. My Grandmother told me long ago that there are three things you don't talk about with people: religion, politics and how much money you make! I am smiling, because like most things my amazing Grandmother told me, I believed it to be an absolute truth. I believed it meant that No One talked about those things in public. I accepted it as law. I was probably eight years old at the time. And so, as time passed on, I adopted my Grandmother's same southern Alabama philosophy. After all, I adored my Grandmother (still do) and I wanted to be exactly like her when I grew up (still do.) But in this day and age, we don't live in a world that keeps her politics to herself. Nor do we keep our religion and salary to ourselves either. We talk about it, and talk about it and talk about it. We talk about it to our neighbors at the mailbox, to our check out clerks at the grocery store, to our buddies at the gym. We post it in our yards, and on our car bumpers. We post it on our Facebooks and Instagrams and blogs. We advertise it endlessly and talk about it everywhere we go and to anyone who will listen. And why shouldn't we? We live in a democracy and are blessed to have such freedoms and rights! We should exercise those rights... the freedom to choose, the freedom to speak. The freedom to talk to our neighbors and post our religious and political views on our social media accounts. I'm telling you, I love our country and all she stands for and represents. I am so grateful and blessed to be an American who lives these freedoms every single day. Still, I am my Grandmother's granddaughter, and I believe we have gone too far when we take our politics and religious views out on others who don't share them. For this reason, I choose not to exercise those rights so publicly, I chose not to discuss my politics to everyone. It isn't for lack of passion, or opinion. It is simply for peace. I believe it makes for better relationships. I now realize that my wise Grandmother believed the same. She knew that keeping her politics private, ensured peace between neighbors and friends. And so while yesterday was a sad day for me.. a day that I felt heavy hearted to wake my daughter and tell her that our country did not elect a female president... It was also a day that brought peace, at least the kind that comes with the settlement of a decision made. I tried to move through my emotions as privately as I did with my election choice. I tried to stay off of social media so as not to read the fallout and on-going bashing. I chose to be still and quiet, for the most part, with my thoughts and emotions. I chose to be private. I chose to be my Grandmother's granddaughter on a day that made me sad. And in that choice, on that day, I found hope and new beginnings. There is always a silver lining, and a bright side. If only we could talk and talk and talk about THAT more, I think we would all live in a much happier world.
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Passing by my daughter's bedroom today, I noticed the Jack O'Lantern door hang, still adorning her bedroom door handle. "Oops! I missed this one," I said as I took it off of her door.
"YEAH! Now we can go right to Christmas!" she exclaimed, as she skipped right on past me mumbling something about getting out her Christmas bedding. WHAT. No. "No, Maddie! THANKSGIVING," I stated, as firmly as I could manage in my kind, yet affirmative 'I mean business' voice. What on Earth. And just like that, I realized that my own sweet child, was also falling victim to the rush and bustle of the holiday season. More specifically, to the Retailer's Evil Spell that has us going straight from Halloween to Christmas! As a child, I remember that same excitement and anticipation that grew, tenfold, between Halloween and December 25th. We all knew that once the Tricks & Treats ended, we were only one more holiday away from Christmas. And what child wouldn't be excited about that? With the arrival of the annual toy catalogs in the mail, how we could not find our Christmas spirit even before we tasted pumpkin pie? So I do understand that sweet childhood anticipation. I get it. Of all the things that my 40-something year old brain forgets, this is not one of them. Still, I find my heart heavy when I stroll through Target on November 1st, to find it slathered in All Things Christmas. I find myself feeling an anticipation of a much different sort now... one of a parent who longs to hold on to every single day. Every single holiday. Every single special moment, with our children and family, for as long as God will allow us to! Don't get me wrong, and ask anyone who knows me.. really, just ask them.. Christmas is by far, Hands Down, my Absolute. Favorite. Holiday. Of. All. Time. Period. In the History of Ever. It truly is. I should have been named Noelle, or Pine or even Angel (wait, maybe Not Angel...) because that is truly how much I love Christmas. I love the music, I love the decor, I love the colors, the lights, the feelings, the food, the ambiance, anticipation, the wrapping & tissue, the shiny sparkly ornaments, and garland, and wreaths and cookies. I love the movies, the warmth and even the ugly sweaters. But most of all, I love the Magic, the Hope and Celebration of Jesus Christ and his Love for us and for our families. I love it all and I look forward to it each and every year... AFTER Thanksgiving. After Turkey. After Harvest. After Pumpkin Pie, and Mashed Potatoes. Gravy and Dressing. After full bellies, and endless dishes and Never Enough Tupperware. I love Christmas AFTER Thanksgiving. So, as I pack away all of our Halloween decorations, and pull out my turkeys and Fall-ish Anything, I do so happily and faithfully, observing this beautiful holiday of Thanksgiving. I do so, honoring with full intent what it means to be Grateful. To Pause. To Give Thanks. To Love and to Serve. I do so in the spirit of living each and every day with pause for what that day is worth, and for what joy that day brings. We will get there. We will get to Christmas. And if we do it right, in God's time, we will arrive Full, and Blessed and Encouraged and Hopeful. |
AuthorMom. Wife. Interior Stylist. Creative Soul. Coffee Addict. Wine Enthusiast. Lover of Life. Child of God. Archives
September 2019
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