Boxing Day to the rest of the civilized world. In America, it's more like Recovery Day. O Holy Night turns into O Chaos Morning. Trash cans are filled to overflowing with wrapping paper and discarded boxes. And trash collection normally scheduled for Friday doesn't happen until Saturday. All is calm; all is bright. Sort of.
I can say that I survived Christmas all alone. There is an actual disconnect from all of the emotion of Christmas Eve to the reality of Christmas morning. The eve of "our dear Saviour's birth" gives way to Santa Claus. The whole dynamic changes, and I changed with it. I was a bundle of tears on Christmas Eve but managed to get through Christmas Day with only minor issues. My family called. My friends and neighbors checked on me. I talked to my daughter online throughout the day on Google Hangouts. I called my sister to check up on their news. I drank a little wine, ate some outrageously caloric foods rather than balanced meals, watched some mindless television, and surfed the internet. It was all good. Then, too, I have an Australian friend who told me that I was surrounded by angels and loved and precious. At the risk of sounding blasphemous, I'm not sure the Lord himself could have sent a better message at the exact moment that I needed to hear it. He uses us to carry His message!
So, what did I learn? I learned that I could survive. I learned that others were in my same boat and needed as much love as I did. I learned that today's troubles are enough for today but should not carry over to tomorrow's. Finally, I learned, as did the Grinch, that Christmas was going to happen whether I was surrounded or alone.
And now, I am ready to kiss 2020 good-bye without looking back. Bring it on, 2021. I'm ready for you!
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