You attempt a good deed, only to find a mischievous squirrel enjoying a feast and a toppled feeder. As I mentioned yesterday, my winter anti-depressant is bird watching, and the excitement of filling feeders has begun. Yet, amidst my joy, I neglected to consider the biggest threat to my birdwatching bliss – those pesky gray, bushy-tailed vermin.
What I anticipated as a cute and enjoyable activity—playing Santa through USPS—turned out differently. After perusing forty letters, I hesitate to take on the responsibility of fulfilling any. Honestly, the requests for PS4s, iPhone 15s, Oculus, iPads, $400 cash, Louis Vuitton purses, trips to Disneyland, AirPods for Dad, or assistance with kitchen, bathroom, and outdoor remodeling have left me disenchanted. Amidst the sea of materialistic wishes, Isabel’s simple plea caught my attention: “Dear Mr. Nick, I don’t want much for Christmas. All I want is for my brothers to get all they want and for my Mom to get what she wants. And for my Dad, he has been so loyal so whatever he wants. Hank, I don’t know what he wants but whatever he wants. And that’s all I want for Christmas. Please and thank you.” Now, if only I knew what she wanted!
As I write, “The Golden Bachelor” reality show plays on the TV. I shake my head, knowing I won’t emerge until I’ve witnessed the entire episode unfolds. It’s a lovely shift from the usual insecure twenty-somethings to the retired hearing aid wearing crowd. I applaud the lady who declared, “We may not be as tight-skinned or in as good shape, but I’m not dead yet!” Rock on, sister—I’ll join you in another thirty years.
Embracing aging is my newfound outlook. Having conquered most of my past fears, I am eager to see how fulfilling life can continue to be.
With a light client load this week for the Thanksgiving holiday, I’m looking forward to ample family time. Today’s family time involved scotch taping numbers on the carpet and kicking a Paw Patrol soccer ball through the front two legs of Evelyn’s mini chair. After five rounds, Dave emerged victorious in an extra round shoot-out.
I’m feeling hopeful. That’s all.
Love, Jaclynn
Going On 40 