We experienced a never-often-enough phone call today:  three sisters chatting together.  Because of COVID, both my sisters are off this week.  Although I am not (and I was trying to get a newsletter written today), I was still sucked into their enthusiasm for living the holiday fully.  

One sister was lounging in bed (rather unheard of).  She was reading a Christmas book, surrounded by her two Golden Retrievers.  One just celebrated his sixth birthday yesterday; his young puppy friend is already ten months old.   (Well, she lounged for as long as the dogs allowed her, which is never all that long when there are so many exciting things in the world to explore.)

This sister had started the conversation by text commenting on my photos of last night’s gingerbread train fun. 

“This year is a good one for taking delight in those things,” she said.  “Each year is but I realize I often allow the rushing and baking and working and present buying and wrapping to overwhelm me.  So glad I took off these days.  Still busy with many things and some farm stuff but deliberately choosing to enjoy the moments this year.”

I hear this in my friends’ conversations here, too, and see it in their Facebook posts.  There is more time at home, less running around; more thoughtful preparations and less pressure to do stuff you really don’t want to; more memory moments and less exhaustion.

Silver lining for this year.