From Dec 19, 2008

It’s not about gifts.  It’s not about making sure you buy everyone something.

It’s about being with people you care about.  It’s about expressing love for the people you surround yourself with.

It’s about saying thank you and expressing gratitude.  It’s about family and friends.

It’s about my grandmother not having breast cancer.

It’s about health.

It’s about having a steady and reliable job and a car that gets you there.

It’s about having a roof over your head.  And heat coming from your furnace.  And lights and electricity so I can read and write.

It’s about getting through a semester and knowing you did exactly what you needed to do.

It’s about having food to eat and clean clothes to wear.

It’s about luxuries like showers and bubble baths.

It’s about free time to play the piano and the ability to learn Christmas songs.

It’s not about fighting the crowds in order to get the gifts you’re obligated to buy.

It’s not about making a list and checking it twice.

It’s not about the prettiest gift wrap or Christmas lights.

It’s about knowing that every day before you has hope to be the best day ever, and putting forth the effort to make that happen.