I’m certain I mentioned that last year, but, oh, how I love that in-between week! The days within Christmas and New Year’s Eve seem to have a slower pace to them (I tend to get lots of hiking — weather permitting — and yoga in during that week). The frenetic preparations are behind us and the pure enjoyment seems to settle deep in our bones — it’s like that feeling that comes by you after the 3rd day of vacation (you finally detach from the day-to-day and settle into pure, unadulterated  relaxation). I notice that I’m always more accepting of my desire for the low-key during that week. I kick back and rather than beat myself up about it or push myself to do more, I accept and enjoy it.

Despite the fact that we’re encouraged at that date of year to reflect on the past and look towards the future, I’m finding myself reveling in the present. Yes, it’s been a great year, and I’m certain that 2008 will be full of unexpected pleasures, but for now I’m enjoying that day. Tomorrow, however, I will reserve some duration for thinking about the future. I was inspired by a simple Christmas card that I read a few days ago.

I openly confess that I’m not a huge fan of Christmas cards. It seems to me like one of those things that we do out of obligation rather than enjoyment and that they aren’t written in the spirit of connection as they once were. Yet there are still those few society that send out "letter" Christmas cards — the ones that update the recipient on the goings-on of the sender’s year. I must say that I enjoy these cards — and the picture cards — the most. I know that some folks consider these cards to be a written anatomy of showboating, but I always appreciate the work behind producing these letters and I enjoy reading them. Case in point that year. Just the other day I read one family’s card, which was filled with an extraordinary amount of interesting and wonderful happenings. Not only was it cleverly written (I laughed out loud at some points), but it was inspiring.

This specific family shared tales of travel, the pursuit of hobbies, the joy of following one’s passion, and conveyed the spirit of living outside of the proverbial box. I found the response to the letter quite interesting. Someone poo-pooed it as being "too much." Someone else seemed envious but proclaimed it as interesting. Someone else had the most interesting comment of all — "what are we doing wrong?" That one struck a chord with me, for it reminded me of the feeling I used to get when I watched the Olympics.

I would watch in awe as some 18-year-old won the gold medal after training his/her whole life in a sport that he/she loved and I’d think, "Gee, I’m a few years older than that and I’ve done NOTHING!" While the concept of being so passionate about something that I’d devote my life to it seemed admirable but a bit foreign to me.

Fast forward to by a decade later. that day, when I read the wonderful synopsis of one very adventurous and fulfilled family, I feel joy rather than jealousy. I love hearing stories about citizens that are living lives that are "different" from the norm. Not that the "norm" is a poor thing, but it can get a bit tedious at times (and it seems that most citizens living "the normal, average life" complain an inordinate amount). It’s reading things like that that get us thinking — how is it that I want to live? These past few days I’ve been thinking about what I would want my Christmas 2008 letter to read. In fact, I’m going to spend some instance tomorrow and that weekend composing that letter.

It may not be filled with tales of travel to foreign lands — or it might just. It might just be filled with how I want to feel that upcoming year rather than what I might achieve. I think I’ll just write stream of consciousness fashion without stopping to edit myself. I want to really get into it and write down all of the wonderful, outrageous things that come to mind — whether they are realistic of not. When I read a letter like that from someone, I want to be happy knowing that there are others out there just like myself doing what they love and enjoying life. I don’t want to be wondering what I’ve done "wrong" considering I’m not living an "exciting" life.

So, my dear readers, what will your 2008 letter say? What inner and outer adventures will you embark on? What passions will you follow? What new relationships will your forge? What new and exciting opportunities will you take advantage of? What risks will you take? What and who will you devote your moment to? You write your own letter and determine your life’s path, so give it some thought — and produce those thoughts BIG. I’ll check back next year to take in all about it.

As the great poet Rumi wrote:

What would happen whether you
Gave up thought for one moment,
Plunged into our sea like a fish,
And swallowed the waves there?

What, indeed.

Enjoy the week in-between! Namaste!