Holiday thoughts......

Yesterday I spent the day preparing a holiday feast for my family, wrapping gifts, and shopping. Yes, still shopping! Anyway, while I was in my kitchen I had my TV blaring with Christmas movies. Lifetime TV was great for this as it was airing one Christmas movie after the other. Also, last night I took a phone call from a dear friend who recently lost her Dad. Throughtout time, I've lost both my parents, my father-in-law, and a very dear aunt. My Dad passed around Thanksgiving one year, we buried my aunt on a day before Christmas Eve, and my father-in-law passed just before the holidays three years ago. My Mom passed at the start of a Winter break from school. Well, as could be expected, all of the above mentioned events got me feeling a little down. Its Christmas, I'm tired, run down, my daughter is away, I see a lot of sadness at work--it all adds up. I kept hearing this one phrase in my head which must have come from a movie. It was keep a holiday heart. Me being me, it inspired me to write the following:

A holiday heart should be carefree and light,
It should glow like the candles so cheery and bright.
That joy that you see in each child's eye,
As he waits up to see if on Santa he can spy,
Should live in us forever no matter what day,
And color our outlooks like shining sunrays.
Yes things change, friends go, people leave.
There are those that we love, and for others we grieve.
But ask yourself if you are truly alone,
If in your heart their memories are sewn.
I think of our hearts like patchwork quilts,
Each person adds a piece upon which it is built.
So keep that holiday heart all year,
It will bring you much happiness and keep loved ones near.
My wish for you now and the whole year throughout,
Is to keep your holiday heart open, for that's what Christmas is about.