The Simple Moments That Make Life Wonderful

Christmas time has a feel. Even in South Florida, where we typically have temperatures in the 80s, during the month of December, you can still feel Christmas. 

The days are shorter, the homes are brighter, and people are a bit kinder toward one another. 

After a long semester, the two week break was eagerly welcomed. The time off to simply do nothing was going to provide the renewing energy I needed to return to the classroom rested and energized for the new semester. 

I always have such big plans for time off. I am going to read at least two books, get together with friends I haven't seen in a while, and binge some series I discovered on whatever streaming service I was currently subscribed to. 

However, sometimes what we plan to do and what actually happens are two very different things. 

The season did bring me joy, more so than the previous couple of years, but I was hit with a virus on day two of my vacation. This had me isolating on Christmas Eve, feverish and achy. A present from one of my students, I presumed. 

I mustered the strength to wake up on Christmas morning and still go through all the traditions of gift opening with my two adult sons, who despite their age, are still excited about getting presents! Who isn't?

But, the highlight of my day was when my 19 year old son, after the company left, (yes, I still hosted the family for Christmas dinner) asked, "We're going to watch What a Wonderful Life, aren't we?

This had become a tradition of ours only a few years ago. But, he hadn't mentioned it up until this time, and I wasn't holding my breath that my adult son would still want to sit down and watch a film with his mom. 

"Of course!" I enthusiastically answered. 

The film has taken on a new meaning in both our lives since we first watched it together Christmas of 2019. Maybe that is why he still wanted to keep this tradition alive. For those two hours, he was my little boy again.

Like I said, Christmas has a feel, and it is something in that emotion that maybe, just maybe, brings out the sentimentality of people. Perhaps this feeling is what keeps the joy of the season alive. I am sure one day I will look back on that night sitting on the sofa, watching an old black and white film with my son, and just smile. For this is the what makes it all a wonderful life.