A Merry Little Xmas

I am home for the holidays!!! And yes, I managed to get into the mood for xmas. P told me today while he tried to find something edible in this 'empty' house that he still has not found the xmas spirit. 'Well I think I did!', was then my reply. Wished that I could share it with him but the thing is that I do think that you need to discover or it rather rediscover the spirit of xmas yourself.

Where did I find my xmas feeling this year? Well,..... surprise suprise... at work. 'Boring', you might think. Because you might think that I am talking about the annual xmas party or that I fell in love with the lovely xmas tree that is brighting up the dark and cold reception area of our school building. Nope! It is more then that.

It was more....

- the amazingly cute xmas cards that I did find in my mail box. The ones my pupils made were of course the most touching. 'Mrs S did I this year spell all the English words correctly?' The hopeful look in this pupil her eyes told me so much more.
- the wonderful testimony that colleague and young mother L gave today during our xmas service. My feet were changing into icecubes but her sincere and touching words made me swallow down a few tears.
- the extra portions food that were to be discovered in many places. I must say that the pancake, the yummy 'eclaires', the delicious 'bouche de Noël',baked marshmellows and a coffee with xmas touch to it added a delicious twist to my xmas spirit that was popping up.
- the moment that a pupil of mine called my desk 'clean'. Yes, Stallie can be so chaotic but she likes to keep everything close by and then ends up with high stacks of papers. It is miracle that at the end of the term she is still visible to her audience. So yes, I did classify (read throw) away some of the 'old' paperwork to make room for the 'new' on that the next year will bring me. But this compliment did make my heart glow.
- the reactions of my sophomores when I handed over their report cards. Most faces told me that they were relieved and so was I. This year I feel blessed when it comes down to motivated pupils. Kids that will need still encounter many hard moments in their lives but have shown me in the last three months something that makes me still hopeful when it comes down to the future.
- the numerous hugs, meaningful compliments and winks I got this week. Words can give you wings. I can tell you that today more then once a co worker or a pupil used meaningful words that I did copy loud and clear. I wrapped them up and put a very big bow around them and took them along home to plant them under our xmas tree.

One look over my shoulder does tell me that at work I do find so much more then just work. Xmas is the time of giving and receiving. It should not be about getting even or taking revenge. Xmas is for sure the moment that you are granted an opportunity to observe the world with your five senses and that you do come to terms with what you already have in abundance and want to share with human kind and this globally.

Okay I admit that the best moment of the day did take place at home. Our son A, who managed to get very good grades at school and whose teacher is also very proud of him and who did star in the annual xmas musical as a doc, asked tonight for a very big hug. Not just an ordinary one but one while the three of us were holding on to each other. 'Merry xmas!', he then yelled and it was then that I did feel that xmas did arrive for sure at this house.

Because isn't it so that we find the mystery of xmas in the rather less visible? Have all of you a very Merry 'little' Xmas.

P.S.: Today during the church service someone said that the reason that many of us like the Nativity story that much is because it ends well. Happy tidings still echo while I listen or read it myself!