Happiness is a Journey.

On a personal note . . .

I sit here writing; drinking a strong cup of coffee. Christmas music plays on my computer (as it does every year months before it is time), and a candle with an earthy, autumnal scent fills my house with the smell of fall. Outside, it’s about 55 degrees, and a light rain falls. The first few leaves start to turn.

Everything is absolutely quiet, except for the music and the click of the keyboard. My house is clean and nothing needs dusting, straightening, or washing.

All of my work is complete, and I’m not behind any more. I’m excited about going to work on Monday. I am making substantial progress on my personal promise not to be married to my job, and because I’m observing boundaries and limits (i.e. refusing to bring work home), I love my job more than I ever have.

The kids at school are amazing, and each day I get more and more excited to share our world with them – on their terms, not mine.  The things we are learning about continue to inspire me to be a better person.

I am at total peace with all of my friends and family.

In short, I am grateful for everything that I have and everyone I know.  Tonight, this holy night, I do not sip life – I gulp it down and let it wash over me and through me.  

This is why I love autumn. It’s the time of year when you come inside from months of hurried hectic whatnot and sit by the fire and drink hot chocolate and spend time with friends and family. Autumn is the warm, welcoming embrace on the doorstep of winter.

It is Robert Frost, and it is wearing a sweatshirt with shorts. It is football. It is elections.

Autumn is all of these things.

This moment is my church. This is my beautiful thing that connects me to you. This is our Holy Night.