Family

I know, I know, I missed Christmas by about 2 months. A Christmas scene came up yesterday, and prompted some thoughts. I was watching the new PBS adaptation of Oliver Twist. I'm sure most know it's the story of an orphan who endures terrible hardship and abuse to be reunited with the family he was not even aware existed, even as they were not aware he existed. The closing scene for this particular adaptation showed Oliver in the coziest family setting playing the piano with his Aunt, (I think) and his Grandfather looking on with a Christmas tree in the background.

Why did this strike me so? I Think Christmas represents birth, just as much as Easter. Young Oliver was rebirthed into his family, and into life.

I thought about my own experiences with Christmas. I've always had to battle with my Mom a little bit to set Christmas aside, make it special. To her it's just another day. If there is ever a time to come together as a family, and bask in warmth and loveliness, it is Christmas. It is the send off of last year, and the advent of a new year. Not that our lives really should be measured in years, but I do believe we humans need to set aside times to reflect, to settle down, to start anew and to enjoy one another. So, I wonder how to achieve that Christmas feel more often, without diminishing the absolute joy of the calendar Christmas season.

I don't know why, but when I saw the family setting in the movie, the sheer enjoyment the characters so obviously had in one another, I got an image in my head of men in white t-shirts watching sports, women fretting and a hustle and bustle that lacks meaning and purpose. I compared it to the warm cozy image in the movie, and guess which I prefer? Of course, I realize, it's a movie. It's easy to look cozy and together when an army of people decorate your "house", dress you, prepare the "food" and create the details of the overall picture. I realize we live in a real world with limits on our time and resources. I do believe what I really keyed in on in the scene, was as I mentioned before, the pure enjoyment of the family.

I hope that I can cultivate that in my own life. Though there won't always be a cozy fire, or sparkly Christmas tree; I hope that I can truly enjoy the moments that come my way, that I can be prepared to appreciate the best in life.