Oh Christmas Tree.. Oh Christmas Tree.. with faithful leaves unchanging...

Well, it is Christmas eve and i am in Washington, DC spending the weekend and celebrating Christmas with family. Whenever i sit and take a breath to contemplate why i do things, it leads me to that inward path of reflection... Christmas in South Africa and in my family has always been more of a time of summertime fun. Its never been a gift exchange and food exchange affair.. but then i wonder, why do it at all, its become such a wordwide pressurized and commercialized tradition that if you do not do what "they all" do.. it seems as if there is something wrong with you...

But then, at the same time, i realize that in the age we live in, people really DO need a reason to get together and just be with each other, smiling and sharing and giving.. with families spread all over various parts of the globe, i think that it's nice to come together and just have a day where you look at each other and you leave all your stress behind, give a gift and say "thank you". And regardless of how you choose to celebrate and spend it, its about the significance and the fact that you are connected to others... you belong to a very specific world, to a people and you are not alone in this world. And with all the drama that you anticipate in getting such a feast together, i realized it neither has to be gallant, well accoutred, nor finely disposed to perfection.. it just needs an openness to realizing whether you have family or dont have family, there is always something in life to celebrate and be thankful for.

And even in a quiet, alone kind of Christmas, there can be joy and a heart fulfilled with knowing, even where family is scarce, love never is.. because somewhere.. someone cares and is thinking of you.

Merry Christmas to all!!!

xxx