Some of My Favorite Things

You know, raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens?  Although I prefer central air and chocolate, but that’s the idea.

This week is Christmas (if you’re just realizing this, it may be time to panic), which means too many treats, too much family bonding time, traveling no matter what the road conditions are, a last minute trip to the store or six, bows, packages, singing, decorations, cold, snow (I’m hoping) and wassail.  Whatever wassail is.

I love the whole Christmas experience, and I swear every year the Christmas season gets longer (hello, carols in October on the radio?) while it seems my time to enjoy it becomes shorter.  How this works is a mystery that I want to ask the Doctor about when I finally catch him.

One thing I particularly love is the music of Christmas.  Now I don’t personally support Christmas carols until after Thanksgiving, but once the turkey has been eaten, it’s on!  And I usually sing in the choir at church during December.

Now I’m not much of a singer.  More of a background alto than anything even remotely resembling a soloist or even good.  But I like it and I’m another voice and no one has kicked me out yet.  It’s church, being nice is kind of important.

Anyway, I’ve been fighting off a stupid cold for almost three weeks.  That by itself is frustrating because my immune system is usually more aggressive than this, and a cold is gone within a week.  So I’m cranky about it.  And somehow, my voice keeps getting weaker and lower as time goes by.  I haven’t lost it (which is what generally happens) but it’s diminishing.  The other day my boss accused me of having a sultry and seductive voice—not sure any boss should say that, let alone mine!

So today when the choir went up to sing, I didn’t join them. L  I can only sing about three notes in a row, and my range is now a solid tenor.  I suppose I could have gone up and tried to hit every third or fourth note with the tenors, but didn’t think that would be terribly helpful. So I got to sit in the audience and listen.

Which turned out to be a nice change.  I closed my eyes and listened to the words and the message and thought about Christmas and everything it encompasses.  I won’t wax all spiritual on you, but suffice it to say that I love the Christmas season and all of the joy and service and kindness and love that it brings into the world.  It brings out the generosity in most, and shines a light on those who could use some help.  I admit to feeling quite fulfilled after being forced to just listen in church today instead of participate.

Take a moment over the next few days to stop and listen, or look, or read or something that will give you that measure of peace that always seems to get squished under the weight of family, friends, parties, gifts, carols, decorations and hustle & bustle.  You’ll like it, I promise!