Tis the season to be jolly…Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…Dashing through the snow, etc., etc. Yep, it’s that time of year. The most wonderful time of the year, right? But is it?
I find myself breathing heavy as I drag the Tupperware bins filled with holiday décor from the storage shed. Not to mention sweating and making odd sounds as I breathe, wondering where my inhaler is. All this to decorate the mantel, the window sill in the kitchen, the staircase banister, the tops of the larger tables, and the front entry way. And on it goes. All this to create the ambience to create the feeling…but does it?
There is a beautiful song called: ‘Where Are You Christmas?” and I often think about it when I am lugging boxes around to be unpacked and then packed; unpacked and then packed. Each year I am older I have this nagging sense that I will never quite get that feeling I had years ago when I came home and the magic was already set up on the mantel, the window sill in the kitchen, the staircase banister, the tops of the larger tables, and the front entry way. All I had to do was breathe it in. It was magical. And now? Now I try too hard. I sometimes get lost in trying to create the feeling that I forget to stop and take it all in…breathe it all in.
So this year I will worry less about a few things. In fact, as I write this I have nothing up for the holidays. I have many Tupperware bins hanging around taunting me as I walk by. Almost daring me to open them so I will get caught back up in the self-imposed ‘have tos’ of holiday decorating. Don’t get me wrong, I will still decorate. I will also look for my inhaler. And I will allow myself to be present in the magic that was there all along. Happy Holidays!
About the Author
Kim Kane is a woman of a certain age. She has lived more than she will…and while she isn’t thrilled about this, she does intend to look at life as still filled with opportunities and to take advantage of that. Kim’s desire is to share accumulated wisdom gathered from interviewing over 200 women, ages 45 – 93, proving that whatever your age, there is still much to do. We are not done living, contributing and sharing our wisdom, simply due to a number.
Kim has entertained and informed women all around the country on topics ranging from raising families, stress reduction, mindfulness practices, and most recently on women, aging and living in gratitude. Her mix of stories, both humorous and tender-hearted, help to create the sense that you are in her living room having a personal conversation over a cup of coffee, or more often than not, a glass of wine. She has an ability to take an ordinary experience and create a story filled with extraordinary learning and moments that can be applied to everyday living.
Kim recently published her first book, ‘Sparkle On…Women Aging in Gratitude’. This book represents her belief it is never too late to do and to be whatever it is you desire!