Thank you all for sharing. I think part of is also is I've been thinking of my parents lately. My father would have been 90 this past November, and I really miss Christmas shopping for my mother.

I do regularly exercise, and that lifts my mood quite a bit. Yesterday was a nice sunny warm day after several dreary ones in a row, so I had to go outside.

Today and tomorrow, I am painting a room at the women's shelter. We have a grant to help put in lactation rooms for workplaces and agencies, and there was no one available to paint the room. Not only do they have female employees of childbearing age, many of the shelter residents are there with small children. Since I love to paint, I volunteered to do it now that exams are over. So, being there gave me some perspective in that I have a wonderful caring DH and a wonderful warm home, and I'm not spending my Christmas in a women's shelter.

Re interconnectedness, from quantum mechanics which is the most proven theory in science, we know:

. that a photon, a single particle of light, shouldn't be aware of certain conditions of an experiment, yet it behaves as if it is, so on some level, even though it is a single particle, it clearly is connected to something much greater than itself that leads it to behave as it does...with knowledge that it should not have

. that our very observation of an experiment will affect its outcome, so our very presence and observation can affect and change reality

. that paired atoms can be separated at very far distances and yet, at the very instant that we change one of the atoms, the other changes...at the same instant so though they are separate, they are one

Also from science, there is strong evidence that focused human attention can actually change the behavior of something that is supposed to be unrelated to it....electronic random number generators actually become less random when impacted by focused human attention...the odds of this not being correct, based on decades of study, is over a million to one. So there is some evidence of some sort of global human consciousness that affects reality.

Further we now know that the visible part of the universe...the planets, the stars, the galaxies all together make up only 4% of the universe. 23% is dark matter, which we don't understand, and 73% is dark energy which we understand even less. So there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

So even if you have your doubts on a spiritual level, the reality based and scientific level keeps finding proof that there is some degree of interconnectedness in the universe, even if we don't fully understand it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Global consciousness

I think too, that if you are in a foul mood, you might try to do a gratitude meditation....just simply sit quietly, close your eyes, and start to think of all the things you have to be grateful for....physical things, environmental things, emotional things, experiences, places you've been, things you've done, people you love...as you start thinking about them, you'll find an infinite number of things, from the mundane (hot running water) to the incredible (the love between parent and child), to be grateful for. It's bound to be a mood lifter.

Stinky, you are a beautiful writer. Your words ring with honesty, kindness, empathy, and eloquence.
And Kiki, I'm sorry to read about your bad, bad day and what happened to your car. It reminded me of the time I hit a gas line while delivering pizza's in college for Dominoes Pizza. I can flying down a wide, paved alley (no stop signs at the end of alleys). This was back when it had to be delivered in 30 minutes or it was free. Well I hit a lady in a van and ran her into a gas line. They had to evacuate the area 2 blocks wide as a precaution. Apparently, I was on the 10:00 news crying in the rain, in my uniform. What a sight. That was a bad, bad day for me. Things will look up tomorrow.

Whenever I have a bad day, I remind myself of April 2, 1778, the island of Banda had a volcanic eruption, an earthquake, a tidal wave and a hurricane all on the same day....now that's what I call a bad day!

AnnieDeighnaugh, So, is the idea that we can be changed and feel differently because something somewhere far away has happened? It doesn't have to happen to us, it just has to happen period. Is that right? I'm sorry if I don't get it -- I have never really understood quantum mechanics, although I did see that movie with Marlee Matlin a long time ago called "What the Bleep" and remember it covered this.

It's so funny, when I was reading about everyone's Holiday plans I was wondering how you all manage to pull it together. I thought I knew a whole bunch of wonder women. :)

I was struggling with Christmas already when the first reports from Newtown started coming in on Friday. I managed to avoid the media for days, but still couldn't find my way to get much done. I did OK until I drove by the elementary school next door, where my kids both went. There was a police cruiser parked out front. Just seeing that car there made me burst into tears. It has kind of gone downhill from there. I totally snapped at DD tonight and I feel terrible about it.

I so appreciate all of your posts. Last night I had a lot of thoughts similar to what stinky and Annie talked about. We recently lost a high school student in our town, and all the kids were tweeting with the hashtag #RIP**. I really believed that all of those hundreds and hundreds of tweets were a prayer of sorts and that hopefully that boy's spirit could feel the energy. I hope all those little children can feel our love too.

I love the idea of 26 acts of Kindness. I think I will work on that with DH and the kids tomorrow. I think we could all use a boost.

Beth P.

Well, for example, Sandy Hook didn't happen to me, but the fact that it happened has happened to me...and I have been strongly affected. Empathy alone means that we will be affected by what happens to others. So that is a clear interconnectedness. And if that empathy reaches around the world so that someone chooses a different action or thought because of that event, then it too demonstrates our interconnectedness.

But I view the interconnectedness in a more proactive way...that we can put things to the Universe and let the Universe work out the details as to how it will happen. That we can affect others with our thoughts and actions in ways that we are not aware of. And by changing our perceptions and the way we think about people and situations, we can have a positive or negative effect on relationships, actions taken and outcomes achieved. And these effects will have impact on others who will impact others.

Some of this may be self-fulfilling....if you change your perceptions about a situation then the situation can seem less daunting and thus the problem becomes less significant, so it's less problematic for you which allows you to change your stress levels, think more clearly, and achieve better solutions making the problem even more diminished.

But there is some of this where happy coincidences may or may not be coincidences at all, but ways in which you get what you need just by asking for it.

I was feeling kind of blah but had a nice long walk last night in the dark with a good friend and all our dogs. My friend is in her late fifties and is like an excited little girl around holiday times. She knew all the streets that had the most decorations and lights. It was fun and before I knew it we had walked miles. My friend even bought collars for the dogs that had little blinking lights. We had a little doggy parade! Today was good; I got a lot of errands done so I feel like it was a productive day.

Stinky, you are one cool happening chic! It's good to seek the brighter side and even better if you are gifted enough to share that wisdom so beautifully in the way you write.

If you are feeling blah hang with someone who is not and get outside! Have some fun!

Great topic. I have been thinking about meditation lately and would love to try it but I don't know how to begin. Can anyone recommend any good tapes or books to get me started. I have a very difficult time trying to become calm. My mind is always racing.

(((texanjana ))) - I cried reading your post (which shows what an open wound I am at the moment!) and wanted to say how sorry I am that your family must deal with the darkness of addiction and mental illness. Many have shared here about our family struggles so you know you are not alone but there are always those days...... I admire your decisions to turn off the news, meditate, attend meetings and practice self care. Wishing you a peaceful holiday and new year.

Deb

I was in a very foul mood today-lately, it's been a given. First we had ur local mall shooting, then Newtown...so it's REALLY been bugging me. I started out so hopeful, then lost all my mojo. Today seemed to be the pinnacle, then I had a long talk (gripefest) with a friend, and I was able to let go of a lot of negative energy.

I am just going to let it go. I don't have to let thr nastiness get to me. I will continue to try to find joy in every day-even if it is just in seeing my dog curled up in a ball in front of the fire. I believe in what Annie says, and like when a butterfly flaps it's wings effect. I NEED to put out some positive energy-since the Winter Solstice approaches, and a new beginning is on the horizon.

I hope all of you can start feeling a little better. Together, we can effect change.

I agree with everything that Stinky and anne said and, to add to that, I have even seen part of an experiment where scientists can photograph with kerlean photography the actual auras of positive and negative energy. That energy has the ability to affect the people around it. We've all been in at least one situation when one negative person could put a pall on a party or gatherings. So how about this for our own experiment. Let us all decide to pray for our friends here who are contributing to this forum. Let's do it for 3 days and see if any of us feel a difference. I have a dedicated meditation chair which is comfy and used only for that. I close my eyes and start by praying and then visualizing blessings floating down on everyone. It calms me and clears my mind and I feel so much better. Any one game?

This thread is why I love coming here! Where else can you put it all on the table w/o getting told to 'get over yoursellf' or 'get over it'. It's not a pity party, I just feel unmotivated and blah. I normally can't wait to decorate for Christmas, but just can't seem to get my mojo going. The only time I keel real joy is when I see my grands! They make my world go round.

At least I'm finished shopping, so once I get the wrapping finished, maybe my mood will change.

yayagal, what a beautiful idea. Do you have a set meditation or prayer for peace, healing, etc. or do you make it up as you go along? I would like to try it.

I'm definitely game Yayagal. As I go through all the things I have to do today it would be helpful for me to send blessings while I work. I'm feeling so helpless and overwhelmed, it'll be nice to think of others.

Beth P.

I'm in yayagal!

Thanks Joanie for the empathy ans sympathy : ) I'll give the meta tin/prayer a whirl.

vickij and judithn, please scroll up in this thread to Wed at 14:55...I have posted a link to a meditation site that offers a variety of free guided meditations on various topics which is a great way for beginners to start...

Or you can put on soothing music (music choice which is carried on many cable TVs has a channel called soundscapes....on itunes radio, there are a number of ambient channels, one is called smooth riviera) and just sit comfortably with your eyes closed and repeat a mantra. One that is often used is So Ham (ham rhymes with Tom, not Pam) which means I am. Silently to yourself say "So" on the in breath and "Ham" on the out breath. As you do this focus your awareness on the now....don't pre-live the future or re-live the past, but just be in the now and aware that you are aware. As your mind starts to wander...and it will... and you become aware of it, then just gently return to the mantra. Whatever happens during the meditation is supposed to happen, so don't get upset or think you've failed in some way...you haven't. Set a timer so you won't worry about the time, and do this for 15 minutes. This is your 15 minutes to do nothing but be aware of being in the moment, in the now.

Another very effective beginning meditation is to lie down with your arms down by your side, palms up. Close your eyes, and then start doing a slow body scan where you focus your awareness on your toes, then your feet, then you ankles, shins, knees, etc. all the way to the top of your head, breathing in to each body part as you scan until finally at the end, you are breathing in from the top of your head to your fingertips and toes and breathing out again the same way. This is a very physically as well as mentally relaxing meditation. It's a great one to do if you're having trouble falling asleep.

Sunny, I'm so glad anything I said helped! Thank you Joanie38, & Jterrilynn!

Bethpen, what a wonderful example-tweeting loving energy-yes!

Yayagal, super idea! Have been praying for those who posted here, but a group effort, a prayer/meditation/sacred circle...awesome!

One of the most spiritually powerful practices I've ever been engaged in was being part of a "prayer chain."
I would receive phone calls requesting prayer for a specific person w/a description of what they were experiencing. This was the start of sensing myself as a "Spiritual being having a human experience" as they say. A real turning point in my life. So, I'm a believer in what you are suggesting, Yayagal...good going!

Bestyears...if I may-"I'm a walking talking optimist in life..." I know this about you firsthand. You helped me question some thinking that was pulling me down a couple of years ago. You were quite direct in challenging me- "This is true & that is true, so you just dwell on the bad part & forget about the rest...that's not helpful." was the essence of your reply. At first I was horrified, then amused, then enlightened. You were absolutely correct. The wolf I chose to feed was the wolf that was going to stick around (& grow!) You really made a difference in my life, & this practice of questioning my thinking continues to be powerful & helpful! So I want to say a big THANK YOU, Bestyears!

texanjana, I'm listening too, and sending hugs.

In my family, different issues, but same scenario.

I limit my exposure to this family member, and I do not confide in her.

I am so touched by the suggestion that we pray/meditate positively for one another. I'm in.

The beautiful aspect of prayer is that you can just think it, say it out loud, use a formal prayer or talk like you would to a friend, it all works. Just stay in a prayerful place for at least five minutes and things change, you'll see.
What we are experiencing just reading this special forum about our feelings is a type of prayer, we're sharing and feeling closer to each and every person because we can empathize with them and wish, with all our hearts, that they will feel more calm and relaxed about their journey in each and every day of their lives. So, when Bestyears started this thread, she had no idea that it would morph in to a spiritual meeting of minds and soul and that's the beauty of God's spirit in this universe. Love and concern are apparent in each word and we appeal to God for release to recognize our place on earth and the significance of the small things that lead us to feel glorious. Blessings on all of you.

AnnieDeighnaugh, The Meditation Oasis podcast is very good. I like the husband's voice better than the wife's voice. They have not posted any new meditations in a while though and only a couple that are there now really move me. In any case, I've been using it for a while already, based on the positive reviews here. I don't feel like it's quite enough though, for the healing that needs to happen in light of CT. I may try to do a little research to see if I can find something that goes deeper.

Would anyone else on the board like to share a particular psalm, poem, prayer, etc. that they find comforting?

yayagal, Thank you for your beautiful and uplifting thoughts!

Stinky -you just brought me to tears.... tears I've been holding down. I've needed this release. Thank YOU!

Very well-said, Yayagal. Yes, thank you. Thank you, Bestyears for creating the space...

The beautiful aspect of prayer is that you can just think it, say it out loud, use a formal prayer or talk like you would to a friend, it all works. Just stay in a prayerful place for at least five minutes and things change, you'll see.

Thank you for that reminder, yayagal. The prayerful/meditative aspect of my life has been neglected for awhile. I've felt so mired down in the words that I've heard (and spoken) all of my life in an organized religion setting. Over the past few years, those words have felt empty and not reflective of what I am coming to feel as my relationship to the higher power that I believe exists. I'm going to endeavor to find a new way to pray ... my way, not necessarily the way that I was taught in church.

My today prayer
Dear God, I acknowledge the sadness and woes of all of my friends here and ask You to lift their spirits with your special grace and relieve them of the tension of their earthly state during this most holiest of seasons so that they may rise up spiritually and exist with the awareness of your presence in each and every fiber of their beings. May they radiate with Your goodness. Amen

Spirit - you know our sadness. You know our suffering. Please lift us above the depression and despair and infuse us with your love, your light, your pure joy. Give our earthly existence true meaning as we close out this year, and into the year to come, fill us and renew us with hope. May each person here who wants to feel your presence be blessed with it in abundance.

No foul mood here. However, this Christmas is a bit bittersweet. We are in the process of getting Hospice started with my precious little grandmother - who is 95. She is in an assisted living (early stages of Alzheimers) and my prayer is that she will be able to stay where she is with Hospice care. Her blood counts have dropped dangerously low and she is becoming weak and tired. Although I know she has had a long life, a good life, and she is ready to go, it is still sad. My mom is gone and my grandmother will not be with us much longer. Thank goodness I have my sister. We, along with my brother, will get through this. I love Christmas and it holds deep religous meaning for me. I'm holding on to the sights and sounds of the season, just trying to soak these things up and enjoy, while spending time with my grandmother.

I agree with whoever said that helping someone else is one of the best ways to cheer yourself. So true!! Prayer is wonderful also. I've never suffered with depression, but anyone does have times they are down. When that happens, I try to think of all the blessings in my life and that usually works.

tina

Amen.

Whispered softly: "Beautiful!"

Not to be biased so know that when I say "God" I mean what ever the god force is in your life or your particular religion. It's my real belief that we all have the god force living within us, we just need to be in tune with it during more hours of the day. I know I fail in that aspect many times when I get so busy but I do my mediation and concentrate on my spirit to nourish it with loving thoughts and a firm desire that more and more people will be aware of their own higher power. Staying in that awareness is not easy but it's sooooo worth it. To those of you with extra burdens in life, let our prayers be more concentrated on them.

If any one watched the memorial service for Newtown that Pres. Obama attended, it really was a very nice service...they had many religions represented, each offering their consolations and wisdom in their own way. They had a reading of the 23rd psalm which was so very moving as the audience joined in.

Also, in October, a man I know died and at the service, a mother/daughter did a duet of the song, "where the soul of man never dies" that was very sweet.

Oh Texanjana, I am so very sorry.

I have to work hard to be happy all the time. I'm constantly at war with my internal dialogue. Sometimes, it takes all the strength I can muster to exercise, meditate or take a walk. But once I do, the release is almost palpable.

I have NO family. To say this time of year is a struggle for me is an understatement. Because my 15 year marriage was tenuous most of the time, and I had 3 little stepchildren to nurture post-divorce, I was on birth control more often than not. Now, as I have to face the fact that my chance to have children has passed, my heart hurts every time I see a child. When tragedy affects a child, sigh.

I, too, have stopped reading about SH.

I really believe, and know firsthand, that your own peace and happiness within will manifest itself in your smile, your words, your actions, and may even create a chain reaction. There are many times when I'm having a miserable day and someone just says or does something so simple, yet kind, and it turns my day around.

I believe in God, but there is so, so much that I don't understand. It seems like, tho, every year, after hanging on by a thread and getting through the Christmas season, I finally feel so calm on Christmas day when I take my walk. Is it because I've made it, once again, or something else? I'm not sure, but I really want to believe it is, at least for some, peace on earth and good will toward men.

Thanks to everyone for your kind words. I love this supportive forum, so much wisdom and eloquence. I received this request as part of an email from a dear friend this morning whose mentor and spiritual teacher died, "What I ask of you, in her memory, is to be especially kind and loving to anyone who crosses your path today and tomorrow, and I also want you to throw back your head and laugh a lot. Give Sister the "thumbs up" sign whenever you think of it. She told me one day that God loves laughter more than anything to which I replied, "how do you know". She smiled and said, "just trust me on that one.""

I think her requests sound like great ideas. I am also holding each of you up in prayer, asking God's peace, comfort, and healing for you all. When I say God, I mean Higher Power- however each of you chooses to define that in your own life.

Jana

Texanjana, I'm sitting here watching a Xmas movie with a 7 year old grand nephew who has a very serious disease. He stays with me when he's bad as he has 3 brothers under ten and there's no quiet place in that house. lol. This just made me laugh out loud. His Mom called to ask his permission to allow his two brothers to use his gingerbread house mix and she will buy another for him before Xmas. He said, with a big smile, "sure, that's the spirit of Christmas" Made me feel sooooo thankful for such a beautiful spirit. He said earlier "you're one of my very best friends" lol Happy, happy, joy,joy. You're friend's mentor is in a much better place and I'll join you helping your friend. There's always room for more on our chain list.

"There are many times when I'm having a miserable day and someone just says or does something so simple, yet kind, and it turns my day around." Thanks for sharing that, MizAnnThrope.

That's proof positive that we don't have to take heroic leaps in an effort to make a difference. While trying so hard to make the grand gesture, do something "big," we can dismiss the impact small acts of kindness may have.

I am so glad you experience peace & joy when taking your Christmas walk, MizAnn. Sending you a hug! I hope you receive it.

Got it, Stinky! Thank you. See, proof right there that a hug can go a long way. :)

MizAnnThrope-

If you are anywhere near Northern NY, please join us for dinner on December 25, we would love to have you. We don't celebrate Christmas per se, but we do see this season as one of reflection of the past year and anticipation of the next one, and we always have a great feast with plenty of food, wine and fun. You are cordially invited to join us if you are anywhere in the vicinity, we are a small but lively band of (sorry) misanthropes who live for the moment and love to laugh.

sandyponder

I also read something recently that has helped me adjust my mood, which like so many others was not really joyous. It was that if we consciously lower our expectation and stop trying to create holidays that MUST be so incredibly, ecstatically, marvelously wonderful, indeed perfect in every way...we will be much happier.

And once I started thinking about how wise that advice is, I started noticing how very, very much that old devil marketing and selling has infiltrated this time of year. Everywhere you turn you are accosted with advertisements exhorting you to buybuybuy and shown all these ridiculous images to persuade us that happiness comes from more stuff. Some of it is so over the top it's beyond ludicrous. I don't know about you but I don't ever expect to come stumbling outside at Christmas and see a luxury car parked with a giant bow on top, as my holiday gift. Puhleeze.

And aside from trying to sell us something, we are also bombarded with all those holiday images on tv, in magazines, at movies that we should not only be happy all the time, but surrounded for the holidays by a perfect little group of loving family members, all of whom are also happy all the time.

I'm not advocating bah humbug, let's call the whole thing off. But I do think we can all rest easy in our hearts if we just decide that we will do the best we can, and not feel guilty or *wrong* if it doesn't measure up to some mythical level.

So if you don't feel like going nuts decorating everything in sight: don't. If you can't afford, or don't have the stamina, or just plain don't feel like racing around trying to find the perfect gift for everyone you know: don't.

And if you want to take the spirit of the holiday only as far as some of the very wise and kind people on the forum have suggested by meditating, or praying or just sitting in your own calm center: do!

Wishing everyone peace and joy-whatever it means and however you find it in your own heart.

Ann

Sandyponder, what a lovely, generous invitation to what promises to be a simply marvelous day at your house! Wow!

Runninginplace, you make excellent points.

Here's an essay from Marianne Williamson about Christmas from her blog.

Here is a link that might be useful: Christmas

SP,
I wish I was. I'd love to have a glass of wine with you (in person). Thank you so much for the offer. It means a lot.

MizAnnThrope, I too have little family left....all of the immediate family on both DH's side and my side, siblings and in-laws, are gone and we never had any children. I was feeling down about it. (We had spent a number of xmases alone.) I wanted to share my house and my decorations with people but everyone kept putting me off until January. I kept trying though and now I've had friends over a couple of times already, there will now be 10 of us for dinner on xmas day, I have more friends coming over for dessert after xmas, plus I have another few coming over maybe between xmas and new years, another couple on the sat after xmas and another couple the following weekend. Another friend reached out to us and invited us to join his family for xmas dinner, and I had to turn him down, but I was so touched, nonetheless.
So I went from a dearth to an abundance with a little effort and putting it to the Universe to provide what I need....I'm thinking now what I need is a little more refrigerator space! ;)

While there is sadness with having no family, there is something wonderful about being able to create your own new "family" with friends and neighbors. Each of these events is like a holiday to me, spreading my holiday cheer over a whole month instead of just on a single day.

Xmas to me means children, and since I don't have any, every year, I do a "secret santa" thing where I sneak presents onto the front porch for the neighbor kids late on xmas eve....I have more fun doing that, I think, than the kids have receiving the gifts.

You are not alone. If you choose, you can reach out to those in need. You can contact a food bank or a place that provides meals on the holiday. You can put together care packages (combs, lotions and the socks with the rubber grippers on them are always needed...even small teddy bears are welcome) and take them to a local nursing home. You can contact your local hospital and see if there isn't something you can do there. You can reach out to neighbors ...make batches of cookies and deliver them. Contact your local senior center and see if they can recommend visiting people who are shut-ins.

Or you can choose to be alone and find the peace and comfort you need in your solitude. But even in that, know that you are not alone. That you are part of the cosmic wonder that is the universe. That every cell in your body is made up of atoms that came from the stars. That when you walk, the entire world is under your feet, supporting you. And that an abundance of gifts surround you every moment. All you need do is notice them.

I'm wishing you the very best for the holidays, and asking that you receive that which you need the most.

Annie,

That is just amazing. I read your other thread and was feeling your pain. You know how you get together for cocktails with friends you haven't seen in awhile during the holiday season? Well, in recent years, it seems that either people are overbooked or under-motivated, bc I keep getting that "wait until January" answer, too, and while it's still nice to see people, it's more fun during the holidays, with the decs up.

I do have a good circle of friends - just seems like at the holidays, everyone is wrapped up in family.

I miss having Christmas with the stepkids the most. I only have a few neighbor kids, and I do give them presents. The secret santa thing is a great idea, tho. Maybe I'll do some baking, and leave some breads on porches for other families. That would be fun and festive.

Your second last paragraph is beautiful, inspired. Thank you.

Stinky, Sandy, Annie: I don't even really "know" y'all, but your posts are printed and with my Christmas cards. Your kindness is very much appreciated. Enjoy your celebrations!!

Thanks MizAnnThrope, that is a standing invite, so if you ever find yourself close to the 49th parallel, you know who to contact.

Also know that you are not alone, all of us have had instances where "that ship has sailed" and it ain't ever coming back to port. Regarding children, I hope you consider some of the suggestions above, or, if you are able, consider fostering or adopting a child, I have a friend who adopted when she was 45 and single and that child has been the light of her life. Her only regret is that she didn't start earlier and adopt more. I believe that we rarely regret what we do, but what we don't do can really bring us down, especially at this time of the year, not only the holidays, but the lack of sunlight (at least up north) can affect moods and perceptions.

And stinky-gardener, I have said it before and I'll say it again, you have a truly kind heart, such a rare thing and a privilege to witness, even thru the internet.

sandyponder

I'm so impressed with the beautiful words of response. Annie you have a gift for getting to the heart of the matter and laying down some incredible knowledge. Stinky-gardner, your words are priceless to many right now, thank you and a big thank you to all who opened their hearts and allowed others to help calm their spirits. Now I feel really content and, knowing what you've all shared, I feel even luckier. Our collective positive energy and prayer has made a big difference to me, I find myself thinking of it often during the day and sending more positive energy out in to the world. May you all receive all that you need to heal your spirit.

Annie, your words are indeed meaningful and beautiful. Thank you for the reminder that we are not alone, no matter how lonely we might feel. When we make the effort to reach out - even in seemingly small ways - there are always hands that reach back to us.

Ditto to "I thought it was just me."

My "blahs" seem to hover all the time, tho. Maybe it's because I've passed a "milestone" birthday, maybe it's pre-menapause, maybe I was just born this way (I really do think that some people are born happy/optimistic, others not-so-much).

The shootings have made me cry at the strangest times (tho thank goodness so far I haven't seen a Hallmark commercial, which always sets me off!).

But I had 2 really great days last week. One day, we had nice, warm sunshine after days of too-early-for-my-taste cold, and my walk with the dog was fantastic and long.

And then during my weekly shopping day, I stopped in at a place for lunch, and a mom came in with her twin boys and an older boy, and they sat at the table near me. The twins were maybe 6? 7? Gorgeous, funny boys-being-boys, and all the kids just made me smile. I told the mom her sons were beautiful and funny, and I could tell she needed to hear that! A little conversation with her and the kids, and it really lightened my mood.

Next stop, the grocery store. A boy, about 9 or 10, brought candy for the deli folks, and then a flower for one of the women. He was so outgoing, friendly and funny that I know someday he will be the next Jay Leno or Conan!

So... I guess that's "someone" telling me to find a new job with the perfect mix of children and puppies!!!

MizAnn, I am very honored that my words are included among those you hold dear this season. Thank you! Peace be with you.

Sandyponder, what a very nice thing to say! Thank you so much. I will be thinking of you & your festivities on the 25th. I know your generous hospitality will make many merry!

Yayagal, I appreciate your acknowledgement. You contributed so much to creating a welcoming, communal spirit on this thread (& others). We are blessed to be the recipients of your sincerely loving nature & good vibes.

As you observe the season in your own special ways, wishing all who shared here, a joyous, meaningful, & peaceful holiday.