Glee

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa and a Peaceful New Year to all who are reading this Blog--my Joyful Journey on paper!

This is a wonderful, albiet stressful time of the year for me. I enjoy the fun, family, presents and eating that goes along with the end of year celebrations. Yet, I find that my perfectionistic bend always leaves me just a bit "off". I want to have the perfect gift for everyone, including the little ones. I need about two more weeks to wrap, clean, shop and sit in front of the fire and journal. We spent almost a week in California visiting our son and his fiancee which was a joy! Coming home to reality, I remembered that it's not good to take vacation in December when you see the 25th looming up at you.

Christmas day this year involves a smaller group. The number went from 23-24 to about 7 for Christmas dinner. The Eve will have us with family that we haven't sat with for almost 2 decades! How wonderful is that! The next day we meet our future daughter-in-law's family for the first time and celebrate their engagement.

To start the holiday, I attended a melodic organ concert at my old High School that has closed. The beautiful chapel was filled with white haired nuns and their friends and family. I attended with two of my former classmates and a standard poodle that is being trained to be a guide dog! The concert ended with the "Hallelulia Chorus", which the three of us thoroughly enjoyed singing. Two of us had sung it for many years in Glee Club at same High School The third knew it from being in orchestra which played with our Glee Club. I came home with "For the Lord God Omni-po-tent Reign-eth!!" What Joy, what proclamation in that statement!

It is said that singing is praying twice. It is an exercise in letting go of ego, belting out a few lines that either are accurate or not. Who cares if a note is off? Who cares if you move from alto to soprano? I am sure that God who loves us to be happy feels that joy when we sing.

Sing in the car, sing in the shower, sing on your walks! Break out the guitars and dust off the piano or the keyboard. I'm loving you all!