Holiday seasons come but once a year, but they create memories that last a lifetime. Boring, but it works.
This is the time of year where everyone reminisces. Last night at a neighbors holiday party a group discussion took place as to which year did people have the best holiday.
One neighbor said the best holiday he had was the time he was with his family in Tahoe in 1998. Sheesh. "Dude, that was seventeen years ago. They've all sucked since then?", I thought to myself.
Everybody took turns, talking of their years best and fondest memories. I listened. Nodded. Smiled. I'm really good at parties.
Then it was my turn. All eyes on the room staring at me. The pressure was on to share something.
So, I spoke about my favorite holiday time when it was spent with my mother in 2007. At the time she was living in Colorado and my sisters and I flew out to visit. It was a fabulous time. A few months later mom died of COPD.
When I wrapped up - my holiday pun for the year - telling about my "holiday past" everyone was sweet offering their apologies. After sharing my "past" I felt somewhat odd. Unsettled.
Only when everyone in the room had finished sharing did it come to light for what I was feeling - and it took an eight-year old, Ashton, for me to understand.
"Can I play?" Ashton asked his mother. After getting the smile of approval he shouted, "My favorite time is right now!" And with that he turned and went back to playing with his Legos.
Damn! That was impressive! If he was older I would have bought him a beer.
In that instance, what I learned from Ashton, was that each holiday season is a memory to be cherished. Holiday memories should not be cherry picked over one another.
Obviously, remembering the past is important. The past helps to defines us. The present define us as to who we are now. And what of the future? Don't think about the future. The future can wait a few weeks. This is about the present. Hey, maybe that's why we get presents? Epiphany, perhaps?
All I know is that as we journey into a new year I will have an eight-year old mentor.