Worst-Case Scenarios

Today I woke up thinking about our champions of life. We all have them around us – those people who endure and shine no matter what. I like to think I am one of those people too. Finding purpose in a purposeless environment is both hard and necessary. Navigating the good and bad, happy and sad moments of life should accentuate, not diminish, the incredible miracle we call the gift of life. It is one tough journey, isn’t it?
 
So, I need a standing ovation now, please. I made it through Christmas! December is a pain in the you-know-what for many people. Memories of Christmases past sometimes haunt us. No, I am not talking about ghostly moans or rattling chains but of lost moments to say thank you or I love you just one more time. I take refuge that somewhere across the tides of the universe our thoughts and prayers are heard and cherished. It is what keeps the sparkle in my eyes and the hope in my heart. We are all kids during the holidays. We just have to ignore the hype and escape to the destinations of our dreams.
 
And so, I wonder. Do you ever just close your eyes and pretend you are somewhere else? I sure do. It is not because I do not want to be right here, right now. Most times, it is only because I have so many irrepressible thoughts and memories rambling around in my brain. Daydreaming does not always mean you want to go away. Sometimes it just means you want to remember.
 
Of course, getting lost in thought can be counterproductive sometimes too. If we daydream about what might happen as opposed to what did happen, we probably work ourselves into a tizzy for nothing! Yes, I am guilty. I admit it. There is an Australian television series called “Offspring” that I just love. It is about an obstetrician who daydreams incessantly about everything. She is the Queen of “worst-case scenario” thinking! While it always makes me belly laugh, it also reminds me that I am definitely a member of her royal court. I tend to jump off the deep end before I am even near the ledge. What an incredible waste of time.
 
The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is one of my favorite times of the year. The rush of the season is finally over, and the dazzle of new possibilities replaces the angst of dread. It is much like the before and after feelings of final exams as summer presents itself as your new reality. Even though the frozen tundra days of winter will now rear their ugly head, I can daydream that spring is just around the corner.
 
I always say goodbye to my holiday decorations on January 1st. As I now countdown to the New Year, it is phenomenal how the twinkling tree lights change from emotional triggers to visions of wonder and delight. Good grief, those lights should be viewed with splendorous awe during all of December. It appears my brain is the Holy Grail of mucked-up emotion and needs to be in therapy. The rest of me, of course, is in perfect mental health. Ah, but that is fodder for yet another rant.
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