Today is Boxing Day.  Christmas always arrives whether I am ready or not. I always think I should have done more, regret the cards that didn’t get sent and the perfect gift not found. I am often too busy to truly appreciate the purpose of the Christmas season, its beauty and the joy of family and friends.  This year I tried to be kinder to myself—some things just did not get done.

Now it is Boxing Day. The gifts have been unwrapped, there is much to be thankful for and it is too soon to pile on the expectations of New Year’s Resolutions.

My brother and sister-in-law know me well and I appreciate their thoughtfulness. All the pages of the notebook are blank, waiting for me to write on them. I treasure the past for the memories and how much I can learn from what I had previously taken for granted. Hopefully my pen will capture my thoughts and discoveries.

And while I am on the journey I need to slow down, be mindful and do one thing at a time. There will be a learning curve, but the first steps will begin when I read the first  page and then the second. I will not browse quickly and pick and choose as I search for the creative mindfulness it promises.