Tag: #perspective

When Life Happens, We Create New Traditions

Day 24 and another Christmas Eve rolls around.  As a kid, this was the most magical night of the year.  It’s 22:50 as I write this.  We would have all been in church now, and we would have opened our gifts as soon as we got home.  But she is not here anymore, and those traditions are now relegated to the happy memory box.   

We do have a new tradition, though.  Being with family is still the most important part of our Christmas.  We gather at my sister’s house.   Her husband does most of the cooking.  He makes a mean curry, and his gammon is delicious!  My contribution this year is the beef tongue, which no one will eat as it is too salty, and the dessert. The day is filled with love and laughter, and that is all we can ask for, so this is what I am most grateful for today.  I am really looking forward to tomorrow.  

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Having to change our traditions after losing a loved one is a reminder that we have a presence and we take up space.  I used to think that it was so sad how we just go on with our lives after someone’s death.  We don’t really, though.  We have to find ways to live without that person.  The person and their role in your life can never be replaced.  The thought of it makes me realise how valuable and unique we are, and that is definitely something to be grateful for.  

I am going to keep it short and sweet tonight.  Thanks for popping by.  

Let me know in the comments what your special Christmas memories or traditions are and why.  

Have a wonderful Christmas! Bye for now

I Have Been Yawning All Day

It was so weird.  I had such a good night’s sleep last night, yet today I could not stop yawning.  It felt as though I hadn’t slept at all.  I couldn’t understand it, and then this evening, it struck me…this is probably due to the release of tension from having my son home last night. 

It happens each time my son goes away.  I think I am okay, but actually,  there is this low level of tension that I constantly carry with me.  It’s like the air that fills a balloon and keeps its surface rigid.  It doesn’t feel like anything, but it’s there. And then my son comes home, and all that air in my balloon is released, and I feel relaxed and at ease again, and all I want to do is sleep.  

He has left again, so I guess my balloon will start inflating again soon, but tonight I will sleep like a baby (hopefully).

Photo by Kristina Paukshtite on Pexels.com

Two Things I Am Grateful For

I am grateful that I did get to spend time with my son today.  We had a great lunch at the mall.  I was pleasantly surprised that I had a decent-sized discount voucher available to me at the time of paying, so I am very grateful for that too. 

I am off to bed now.  Thanks for popping by.

Bye for now.

“Parenting teenagers is an exercise in letting go, while holding on with all your heart.” – Michelle Cruz-Rosado

Day 21.  Letting go with faith was definitely today’s theme. Thank you, God, that my son and his friend had an amazing day today, and thank you for keeping them safe as well. 

Two Things I Am Grateful For

  1. I am grateful that my son could add another new experience to his bucket list this year.  He had spoken about wanting to attend a Sharks rugby match over the last few months.  He called it out as a goal for next year.  He must have wanted it quite badly because God decided to move the timeline up.  I am also really happy that he was able to experience it with one of his best friends.  Of course, letting him attend without me took a bit of faith on my part.  A lot of alcohol flows at these events, so my only prayer was that they didn’t encounter any drunk people who were also looking for trouble.  Thankfully, God heard that prayer, too. 
  2. My son has been blessed with many firsts this year.  His firsts included a cruise, a trip overseas watching his favourite soccer team play at their home stadium, and even seeing amazing exhibits at the museum in London.  He saw some of the exhibits in his textbooks and was thrilled to see them in real life. He used to enjoy visiting the Pietermaritzburg Museum as a pre-schooler, so I was thrilled to know that he hadn’t lost his love of museums.  I am grateful to everyone, and especially God, for making all of my son’s new experiences possible this year.  He has really been blessed. 
Image created on Canva

One Moment of Joy

Just having my son home again has been a real joy.  I have barely seen him today but it doesn’t matter.  What matters is that he is sleeping in his own bed tonight.  Tomorrow, he is off again, so once again, I have to loosen the reins and have faith that he will be ok and enjoy his time away.  When he was younger, I used to worry that he would enjoy his time away from me so much that he wouldn’t want to come back home.  How much more self-absorbed and insecure could I be!🫣 I know better now.  I know now that while he might not miss me when he goes away because he is enjoying the moment, he will always love me as much as he always has, and he will always be grateful to be home when he returns.  I guess I am also just preparing myself for the day he goes to university.  I only have two more years with him at home.  

Well, that’s it from me today.  Thanks for popping by.

Bye for now.