remains of the day ...

I was doing my usual 'keeping in touch' by reading blogs of friends of mine, when I recognized that I haven't been as cheery (even when some were in the midst of pieces of sadness) as most, even waxed a bit morbid. That's not really fair to the reason for the season. And so ... my 'remains of the day'.

There are those that deal with holiday blahs in some way or another. I deal with it to some degree at Christmas time and I have a sibling that struggles with the New Years celebration. Compound that with losing a loved one around that time of year, and things get a little harder. My mother went on to heaven last December. Too I spent some 16 years single parenting - the husband saved me from all that, bless his heart. The holidays then, though, represented loneliness and some sort of effort in futility in trying to create something for your children that seemed to be all over the floor, torn up in pieces of wrapping paper of unwrapped gifts. Still, while not the best parent in the world, those were precious years of 'mom'hood. They're just easier now and the husband has made the holidays easier too.

Here's one person's presentation of this phenomena:

THE HOLIDAY BLAHS !

Copyright: 12/29/92:

Thomas K. Hyland, Jr.


Well, each year the season seems to set upon us sooner.
Once upon a time, "Black Friday" was the official onset,
when all the shopping "zealots" of the world,
would descend upon the malls, in a great, gargantuan array.

But now, as the Halloween decorations are removed from the shelves,
their Christmas counterparts rapidly replace them ---
on All Saints' Day !

Every year, we're gon'na get a head start, right? Ho! Ho!
But, there's always that "last-minute project" at home,
rearing its ugly head, you know:
--- like: stripping the old wallpaper from the walls and ceiling,
or spackling and painting with nimble-fingered feeling,
or something equally laborious and unappealing.


Well, somehow you manage to perform a balancing act:
a lot'ta work on the "project,"
a little Christmas shopping, a lot'ta choir rehearsal,
an occasional "break" of shooting pool, and "tilting" a brew or two,
interspersed amidst a smidgen of familial chagrin,
all the while with a growing "knot" of stress within.

Then, finally: the "project" is finished,
the shopping is almost done, the gift-wrapping near completion,
the tree is up and trimmed, the candles are in the windows,
the house, cleaned and appropriately adorned,
and two out of four concerts have been performed,
what, pray tell, could possibly be next ?

Then, Bingo! The next thing you know, it's Christmas Eve!
The stockings are all hung by the chimney with care,
the grand, gorgeous glazed ham is baking in the oven,
the carols are playing on the old Panasonic,
the mood is quite warm, perhaps even harmonic,
but --- oops! The clock is still ticking off the minutes.

One-half-hour to: shower, shave, dress,
and get to the Church on time!
The Handbells are ringing the Prelude at six o'clock Mass.
Whew ! Made it ! Five minutes to spare!
"Regal Celebration" was quite good, tho' the rush was a mite unruly,
with a few "dings" and "dongs" transposed by --- Yours Truly.

Then it's into the van, and back to the house.
All the creatures are stirring, really in a tizzy,
now, baste the ham, stuff the stockings,
wrap the "last minute" gift for Aunt Lizzie.
Aah ! Time to relax and kick off your shoes,
have an "Irish coffee", to warm up your tummy,
un-uumm ! Was that yummy!

Oops ! Where did the time go?
Got'ta be back at the Cathedral by ten-thirty!
Rehearsal, Carol Service, Midnight Mass,
then, back home again, quick as a wink.
The clock chimes twice, as your baggy, bloodshot eyes
beg for blissful slumber, as they blink.

You open a few gifts, savor the flavor of the ham, and as
you gulp another Gaelic libation, the gong strikes three.
That's all folks! The Holiday "Blahs" have dimmed your light,

--- Merry Christmas to All ---

-- and to All --

a Good Night !

Somewhere in all this is a deep sense, at least for me, of the magnitude of this season and the need not to take it nonchalantly. In my little world that was at sometimes lonely, sometimes disappointed, sometimes reaching, reaching reaching ... there has always been a light that was created by the Lord in His love and His salvation in that He came down upon this earth and suffered so much, so much more than I, and is not simply the reason for the season, but the reason for everything - the very life that I have; and that everlasting. That is what I hold on to. Every year I can say Merry Christmas to All!