December is always a bit of a challenge for the Pharmacy Chick on several levels. Firstly, people go crazy as they approach the holidays. Some are as nice as they could ever be, and others show a side of them that is better left un-revealed. Secondly, it has a somewhat sad component that is hard to shake for me.
Our mistaken idea of what the Holidays are supposed to be is really to blame for this craziness. The media and culture often puts unrealistic expectations on us on what it means to celebrate the holidays and they can be extremely stressful. Print ads tell us to BUY BUY BUY..when many have no money money money. We want to have the perfect Christmas Party, the perfect Christmas Card, the perfect Christmas tree, baked the perfect Christmas confections and give the perfect Christmas gifts. That perfection is hard to achieve. Limited funds create that disconnect between what we WANT to do and what we CAN afford. Broken families, injured relationships all complicate a time of year where “Peace on Earth and Goodwill to men” is the catch phrase. The Normal Rockwell version of Christmas doesn’t really exist..not any more anyway.
I love Christmas and all the stuff that goes along with it, even tho I have very little to prepare for. My family no longer exchanges gifts so I have almost nobody to shop for. I still send a mailbox full of cards to friends and family, but if I wrap 2 gifts, I am doing well. In lieu of all the gift shopping, Mr Chick and I select our favorite charities and donate to them. One year we bought cows, chickens and goats for World Vision. Most years I dont even put up a full sized tree. It seems like a lot of work, and while its lovely, its a sad looking thing with absolutely nothing under it. This year I found a 24 inch tree and hung some 1 inch balls on it. It sits in my bay window.
My mother was a Christmas nut. She often put up a couple of trees, and one was usually the frosted variety. Do people still frost trees??? She baked like a fiend around the holidays, swapping the goodies with the rest of the family. She filled the floor under the tree with gifts for the family.
When she died, the celebration went with her.
Christmas is always such a reminder of my mom. When I do my own baking, I pull my favorite recipes out…ones that are written in her handwriting. I pull out cookbooks with her notes in the margins. So, I get into a funk every December because I miss her. I miss her daily, but all these visual reminders make it harder.
Today was one of those funky days. I just ” wasn’t into it”…..kinda down.
The first person to lift my spirits was a man who I had given some shots to. His broad friendly smile was such a blessing. I asked if he needed another shot today, and he said. “No, I just wanted to come in and say hello and see if you were here! You give the best shots! Merry Christmas!”.
Just a couple of hours later, one of my customers come in to pick up a rx. Never one for conversation, he just went thru the normal routine to pick up his wife’s rx. Then as he walked away he said ” you know, if everyone approached their business the way you do, this country would be so much better!”. I have no idea what I did to warrant that bit of praise, but it lifted my spirits.
And lastly my own boss, sent me a txt paying me a compliment for something else.
Three timely phrases of kindness lifted my sagging spirits.
I got off work and needed to get some gas. Instead of dinking with my phone while my tank is being filled, I decided to chat with the young man at the pump. He was looking forward to tomorrow–his day off–he wants to play his new video game. To each his own. But hopefully he was encouraged that somebody else took an interest in HIM.
I think its a timely reminder for myself ( and to pass on) that words of encouragement that lift our own spirits aren’t meant to die in our hearts…they are meant to pass on, to live on in the next person..and the next person..
I thank you three customers for making my day, Just like I thank you for the kind words you often write to me also.
Be blessed….Be a blessing!
