Today I caught myself dreaming about when the holidays are over and life returns to "normal."  In my fantasy, my house will be clean, the laundry will be done, my children will be back in school and all will be right with the world.  Bah Humbug!  When did I turn into such a Scrooge?  I used to LOVE the holidays and everything that went with them - all the cooking and decorating and shopping and wrapping and the music, etc.  I don't know what turned the switch off for me.  Perhaps it was the fact that now I'm the mom and everything falls to me to get done - and done well.  I'm overwhelmed and under-helped.  But - whose fault is that?  Did I set myself up for this?  Does everyone else think getting everything done - and done well - is important?  NO - they don't.  Only I do - and I'm probably driving my family nuts trying to get everything done and done just right.  That's not what it's all about.  It's all about family in whatever iteration that is for each of us.  It's about sharing - not STUFF - but ourselves and our time.  Time?  Whose got time?  Well, we all do - it's just how we allocate it.  I'm running around getting the right wrapping paper and the right cookie ingredients when people really just want to spend time with each other.  It's a basic human need.  Relationships - not gifts.  Our gift is ourselves, our time, our love.  I'm hereby committing to SLOW DOWN - enjoy this time, give of myself and my time and love those around me.  I'll let you know how it goes - but I'm betting that it will prove to be a very eye-opening and enlightening experience.  Why don't you try it with me?  Put down that mixer, that vaccuum cleaner, those Christmas lights.  Spend a little "down-time" with your loved ones.  It will be a gift for everyone!!  There's a hidden gift here as well:  maybe our daughters won't subject themselves to this same self-imposed drugery and perfectionism that we've modeled for them up until now.  Maybe they'll "get it" and just enjoy their time with their families and not worry about how their house looks are how many cookies they've made.  Now there's a gift worth giving! 

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goo life!!

Kathy