Last night I read an article on a blog post site which mentioned lower traffic on holidays. It said not to bother posting because of this. Well, you can tell what my response was to that noise. From saint Nicholas Austin to you I wanted to use today’s post to wish you and yours the happiest of holidays! Since you were all good this year, enjoy the following Christmas story. Feel free to send cookies and milk in return. 😉
This is not going to be a sad story–as much as it’s about to sound it. Remember that.
In the year 2009, I played Santa at our annual family Christmas Eve gathering. The same year, my mom was diagnosed breast cancer.
In the year 2017, my mom nearly spent Christmas in the hospital. By extension, so did my father, brother, and I.
With lymph nodes removed due to her cancer treatments, her ability to fight infections is greatly reduced. The smallest cut can result in a hospital stay and this year, it did. Almost as soon as I landed for the holidays I got the news she might have to be in there until the day AFTER Christmas. Initially I stressed because this was not at all how the holidays were supposed to go.
However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized I was at least here. What if the holidays hadn’t brought me home? What if I was still in Austin, forced to worry about her while I was alone instead of having my family by my side?
The thing that matters the most is right now.
So I thought back to my time as Santa in 2009. At the time I was still in high school and maybe 150 lbs at best–not exactly your mall-picture Santa Claus. However, when I was in the costume, to the little, excited kids in the room, St. Nick is who I was. It didn’t matter if later they’d realize it hadn’t really been him. In the moment they were truly happy to feel a sense of wonder.
And this is what courses through me now. A feeling that no matter where I could be, the fact I am here with the people I am with is a gift. Every minute of every day we must realize that. Because just like sometimes “here” might be the inside of a hospital, others your loved ones might get released early, in time for Christmas Eve. Thankfully this year, mine did!
Thanks for reading and again, happy holidays! Hope you’re enjoying the Civilands series. Feel free to subscribe for more updates, or click here for to earn free reads, including best-sellers, by the fire with some egg nog. 🙂
