Christmas comes around the same time every year and every
year I am debating the same question. Then it hit me. I looked at my husband
and said, “You know what I really want for Christmas dinner? I want my mom’s
famous fried chicken.” His eyes lit up because he loves his mother in laws
fried chicken too. My mom agreed to make it. My husband made his famous mashed
potatoes. And I made a side of buttery broccoli. It was the best dinner!
Afterward my husband said “that was the best dinner. I am
glad we didn’t try to be traditional for tradition sake."
This is just one example of how I learned to shape our
holiday season around our family instead of trying to force our family into the
preset “perfect” holiday. Letting go of
my expectations of finding a magical Christmas moment paved the way for a truly
great time with my family. My oldest son and I made a ginger bread house. My
husband read the story of Christmas tour kids in front of a glowing Christmas
tree. My mom and I danced to the Motown Christmas CD while my sons and hubs
looked at us like the sillies we were.
After my post on not letting wrong expectations ruin your christmas , I had a friend send me a long message about how she had struggled
with unrealistic expectations. Her email poured forth how she was brave enough
to let go of unrealistic expectations.
Her bravery surrounded her expectations as a 2nd
time mom. In summary, her first child, whom she loved dearly, was a fussy baby
and she thought surely my second child won’t be that way. Well her second child
was just as fussy if not more fussy than her first. She was embarrassed and
wondering why she couldn’t have a kid who slept through the night or even
didn’t cry for 20 out of the 24 hrs of the day.
She was brave enough to accept that it is foolishness to
compare our experiences to others and by continuing to do so she would miss out
on the sweet moments her second child brought her. I applaud her!
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