Deflated Santa… by JoAnn
This week, all around the neighborhood, many people are just now getting to the job of packing away their outdoor holiday decorations. I had to chuckle when I drove by one house where this tremendous blow-up Santa lay deflated. He was lying on the ground, with a gentle breeze blowing across him as if it were trying to resuscitate new life. Nearby were Santa’s trusty inflatable reindeer, also flat as pancakes. These characters gave so much joy for a few weeks, now to only be burdens. Fun to display and entertain neighbors and passersby. Now a headache for the owners to pack away neatly and find a place to store them for another eleven months. No one ever seems as excited to pack up these bad boys as they were to display them.
I too usually feel a little deflated after the holidays. Some years I have felt very deflated. Wishing the good cheer and cozy feelings of Christmas could last forever. But this year I was eager to get to the last chapter in the saga titled 2020. Ready for a brand-new year, with new hopes and dreams to fulfill.
Unfortunately, the new year had a vast variety of baggage to drag into 2021. Not ideal at all, but it’s not always how you start the race, but how you finish. So, my hopes are that by the end of this new year, that old baggage from 2020 is taken care of and can rest in its rightful place. I too hope to take care of some unwanted issues this year and end my race next December victorious.
Under the circumstances, I feel okay about how I ended my race this past year. I reached new growth as an individual, which is my goal for every year. No matter how perfect you may think you are, I can assure you, there is always room for improvement! I got through a pandemic which I had never experienced before. We can all pat ourselves on the back for that one. My body, mind, and soul are still intact, and in fairly good working order. And there is still plenty to be thankful for! Not a bad way to end a year. Especially one like 2020.
How have you begun your new race for this year? I hope it is with fresh eyes, plenty of faith, and good health. I hope it fills you with the eagerness of all things newly birthed and can see a lot of light in your future. I hope you do not allow the plights of this world to slow down your personal race this year and that you can keep your personal vision clear and strong moving forward.
We all have a brand-new year to share. Start with yourself to make it the best year you can. With that, you will share it in a positive manner with others.
I want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to all of you that have read my posts in the past, and especially to the ones who continue to come back to read more. I am grateful for each one of you. For those that are generous enough to take the time to leave a comment for me, thank you! Your kind comments humble me and give me more joy than you can ever know. You encourage me to continue writing.
