We “know” that the winter holidays are supposed to be about bringing light into the dark winter nights, the joy of family, and for many of us, the celebration of the miracle of a menorah burning for eight nights or a blessed birth.
And then there’s the other reality for many of us, especially many of us who have adopted or foster children: that the gathering of family, the expectation for joy, the celebration of ANYTHING, plus the “gift” of winter break from school (aka lack of structure) can be an entirely different experience. One fraught with emotional and behavioral challenges.
My blessing for you, therefore, is this: may you look for, and find, your double-rainbow holiday moments.
Let me explain. Every year I either drive my dad to or from Florida, where he thankfully spends the winter away from the harsh Chicago winters. This year I drove him down in early November.
Unfortunately, we made a decision to take a different route this year that ended up adding three and a half hours to the very end of our journey.
It is MORE than fair to say that I was not a happy camper when I figured it out. Okay, I’ll admit I was so frustrated that steam poured out of my ears in such large quantities Florida’s humidity index increased.
I knew I had to manage my raging emotions to drive safely, so I searched for things to be grateful for, and for some meaning to the time added to the end of our three-day journey.
And then I saw it: a double-rainbow.
Only because we took the wrong route and added time to our trip was I privileged, for the first time in my life, with seeing a double-rainbow.
So, despite whatever adversities may present themselves to you this holiday season…
May you look for, and find, your double-rainbow holiday moments.
And may you rejoice in them.
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