Rest

The holidays are such a hectic time, full of fancy and flutter.  It's exciting as our hearts race with anticipation of seeing the faces of family and friends when they open our carefully thought out gifts and when they bite into that lovingly baked cookie or devour the meal we spent hours planning and preparing.

The fire is lit in the fireplace.  The paper is all over the room.  The kids are laughing and playing.  An unintentional but very loud sigh comes out of nowhere.  "Well Done" we say to ourselves and we whisper a thank you for everything going just the way we planned.  We feel so blessed!

 
We sit down and we rest.  It's time to rest now and reflect on the past year.  It's time to recharge and look ahead to the New Year.

Will we find time to rest more?
To remember to praise our loved one?
To hug, kiss and say I love you as they go out the door?
To take time to pamper ourselves?
To eat better and walk among nature?
To be a friend?

The best gift I received this year was handmade by someone who didn't have much money this year.  She was able to bring everyone in my family joy with her precious gifts that she lovingly spent a lot of time creating.

     ~Do not look for rest in any pleasure, because you were not created for pleasure: you were created for joy. And if you do not know the difference between pleasure and joy you have not yet begun to live.~                                                                                                                                    Thomas Merton 

Happy New Year and May you feel the peace and joy that rest brings!