Day 2:
The Christmas season has come and gone and I’ve been enjoying just a little extra down time before diving in to the activities of the new year. I always try to hold on to the holidays a little longer than I should, getting in no hurry to take down the snow village and put away the decorations. I mean seriously, as I type this I’m still drinking coffee out of my Christmas mug.
I truly love everything about Christmas and this year there were some extra special moments and memories that made me just want to hang on even longer than normal. We walked the streets of a re-created Bethlehem, held our annual gingerbread house contest, baked and decorated Christmas cookies in to the wee hours of the night and enjoyed new family traditions that brought joy to our hearts.
With so much excitement, would you believe that among the simplest of pleasures for me was a red and white dish towel hanging lazily in my kitchen? Yes – it’s true! A simple kitchen towel continually brought the oddest sense of happiness to me. I would look around my Christmas kitchen, catch a glimpse of that dish towel and a smile would come across my face. The funny thing is, I can’t really tell you why. It’s just a towel that I purchased on a whim and brought it home to add an extra touch of Christmas to the heart of the home.
If I’m honest, I think it might be that I’ve never bought holiday or season themed dish towels even though I always wanted to. In the past, I would pick them up, put them in my basket but then feel silly for spending money on such an unnecessary item and put it back on the rack. But on that day, in early December, I put the towel in my basket, giggled like a little child and confidently pushed my cart to the check-out counter, never looking back.
You see, I’ve been learning how to embrace the here and now a little more than I used to. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been an “in the moment” kind of person but not when it came to money. I was always looking ahead, projecting a need and putting money away for the dreaded day when we would surely have a crisis that needed extra cash. I couldn’t buy something simple for pure joy without feeling irresponsible. So, this Christmas, as I looked at that little dish towel, (that by the way, came with matching dish rags…insert snoopy dance) I was reminded of how far I’ve come in letting the worries of financial stress go and just treat my tribe with unexpected little touches of a home well decorated and loved. Not to mention the joy of a happy mom/wife who gets ridiculously giddy over a simple dish towel.
It seems a little silly when I think about it too much but if I just let myself be happy about that red and white dish towel then that stupid smile spreads across my face again. What is something simple in your surroundings that brings you happiness? Something seemingly insignificant or otherwise unimportant? Look around with eyes that search for tiny blessings and a heart open to whimsy and you just might find a little unexpected beauty in your day.
joyinyourjourney.net 