So this is Christmas.

"So this is Christmas, and what have you done?  Another year over and a new one just begun."  John Lennon

Being raised in a Christian family I grew up celebrating Christmas.  Most of the celebration focused around 70 people in one house and more kids than an orphanage arguing over who's toy was the best.  Somewhere along the way we missed the point.  Tired parents drag us home and we reset to our misbehaving ways.  My birthday is January 2, so I would also get my birthday present (usually a combined gift) from many family members.  It didn't take me many years to figure out that I was getting the short end of this deal in the material world.  The whole point of Christmas is not to receive, but to give.  With all of the commercials you'd never know.  I always look at the families who go to the soup kitchen or who take their kids shopping for another family instead of themselves and think, "Man, I wish I was raised with those values."  Don't get me wrong, my family did a great job raising me, I just feel that this would have made me a better person, given me a more rounded life.  I never felt the draw towards Christmas that others felt, maybe it was my birthday being so close, maybe I was just frozen from the cold, maybe it just wasn't what my heart felt was right.

Now as an adult I understand the meaning behind Christmas.  It's not that my family did not teach me, it's not that I was led astray, their teachings led me here. No matter what religion you practice, it is about giving, it is about loving, it about looking forward.  I am a Druid and proud to admit it.  I discovered Druidry a few years ago and everything about it was what I had been looking for.  Today, Alban Arthran (Winter Solstice), is the day I celebrate.  Today is when I will open the cards given to me by my dear friends and family. I will be thankful for every one of them and what they have given me and I will do my best to return the blessings to others.  Today I will be thankful that the sun will set a little later and that today is always one day out of the past and one day closer to the future.  The future that holds a little one that I can teach about giving, loving, living.

To me this season is too busy.  There are too many people who rush, too many people period (if you go to a store), too many who still need help who are forgotten.  This leads to short tempers, hurtful words, damage to our souls.  So for the next week, slow down, look around, and take in the world around you.  Help those who need it, love those who need it, love yourself and remember that you are a small piece of this world.  You are not the center of it, but just a piece.  This does not make us unimportant, without your piece, we leave hole in our puzzle.  Remember that others have accepted that they do not believe everything you believe.  That beliefs are our own heart's feelings and if you do not feel the same way, it is not your place to place judgement on someone.

Tonight I will practice a special yoga ceremony.  I will take in the chill of the air, the love of nature.  I will think back on the year, the good and smile, the bad and weep.  Most of all I will look forward with acceptance, with gratitude, with respect for myself, others and the planet.

So Happy Holidays!  Merry Christmas, Happy Alban Arthran, Yule, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa ...  The list goes on.  So when someone says Happy Holidays, it is not that they are disrespecting the baby Jesus, they are respecting him by the acceptance of other beliefs.  Bring peace in your heart and peace shall find you.

Restless

So sorry about the onslaught of posts.  I had published my previous 2 posts, but the crazy system didn't agree.  

Thanksgiving was nice.  My dad came to visit, it was the first time we had family in town for a holiday so it was a little hectic trying to get everything just right.  Dad has Celiac's so GF was the theme.  I managed to make egg noodles that tasted good (I have an extremely high standard for egg noodles) and stuffing that was excellent.  I used my grandma's classic egg noodle recipe using a rice flour mixture in place of the old wheat flour.  The turkey was good (not a big fan of the smoked flavor, but everyone else likes it so I'll deal with it).  I had the work pager, which thankfully was quiet and just spent time with my family. We did not do much, dad was only here Thursday through Saturday and he left early, so more relaxation time for him.  He did go and purchase some boudin which is apparently ok to take on the plane as a carry-on (frozen, if you ever need to know).

Roll forward to Monday and the sinus infection of epic proportions starts up.  Since I moved to Louisiana my sinus infections skip the whole clogged up head thing and go straight to my damn ears!   I cannot get anything done when I have vertigo and that is what happens when your inner ear is under pressure. I have ear drops and they work wonders (usually), but the congestion just would not relieve this time.  My usual diet under a sinus infection is to avoid my beloved cheese (dairy) and to eat grapefruit, onion soup and drink tea.  This paired with the drops, essential oil burner and even medication was not cutting it.  I cannot just go to the doctor and get antibiotics since I'm allergic to most of them, and the few I am not allergic to I'd rather not push my luck with them, I might need them one day.  So I suffer.  I attempted to come to work yesterday, hoping that getting out would help.  By 10, my head was spinning and I had to get out of dodge before I couldn't drive.  So home I went.  By the time the husband got home I was laid out on the couch in some serious pain, right ear throbbing (drops not helping it), and a fever.  I managed to the shower and felt better in the humidity (decided we need a humidifier for the bedroom-odd for Louisiana, but it's a mandatory with the heater running apparently), then my husband remembered we had some ear candles left.  Why not?  I'm absolutely miserable and it cannot make things any worse.  Ear candling has been used for centuries to cleanse the spirit and the body of many different ailments.  I was a bit afraid to use them on my ears, especially the right one with all of the pain in it, but really what could it hurt at this point?

We position the first one in the right ear and he lights it.  Near instant relief!  The amount of crap I could feel coming out of my ear was amazing and the explanation of why it hurt so damn bad!  I probably could have done 2 more candles on that ear at the least, but I only had two and I still have another ear.  I couldn't believe how quickly my head cleared.  It was insane!  I decided to read up a little on ear candling for sinus infections and it has been used for just that purpose.  I'll be stopping by the store tonight and purchasing some more tonight so that I can finish clearing the ears of the funk.  I know some people are skeptical of them, but they are a mandatory item in my house.  When you cannot function because of a measly sinus infection and something helps you, then use it.  I was so desperate by the time my husband got home I mixed a shot of ACV (apple cider vinegar) and water.  It wasn't as terrible as I expected, who knows what fully helped out, but something did the deed and I'm a new woman this day.