Christmas Past, Present and Future

   Dear diary,

   It's Christmas day again. That time of the year when I'm filled with both sadness and joy: sadness cos I can't believe a whole year has passed already and joy because I can witness the most wonderful time of the year again:) The one I was looking forward to since January, the same one that allows me to be a kid no matter the age. 

   This year's been different for me, though. The Advent calendar changed the whole equation and brought more magic in my life. I never thought something so small and humble could do such a difference:) The planning and crafting and then the daily tasks... it definitely put me in the Christmas mood! I used to be sad, bored, or worried. The Advent calendar wiped away all of that and it replaced it with enthusiasm, anticipation and joy. I'm almost on the verge of crying because I realize today's the last day of this special gift called Advent. Such a terrific thing, involving so much dedication, passion and love, more than you thought you had, more than you thought you could give away. The Advent makes you a crafter, a loving, nurturing and thoughtful being. Everybody should experience it: giving and receiving love in the most innocent way possible:)

   The past Christmases have been beautiful, as long as I was a child. Then it all turned into a must and it somehow lost its feeling while growing up. This year I feel mature enough to know how to make the difference and how to keep the spirit alive: it all comes down to letting yourself enjoy the little things. Live Christmas exactly like kids do. And that's what the Advent brought along:) I'm sure the future Christmases will be just as beautiful as this one: with love, peace, joy, family, friends and a lot of creativity (Advent included). Because in the end that's what makes the difference. Letting yourself be a kid no matter the age while celebrating the birth of the most miraculous child on Earth:) 

   I know... it didn't snow this year. But I brought snow inside:) And now, happiness is all around. In my eyes and in the eyes of everyone who gazed at my Christmas tree. What more could I wish for?

Feeling the Christmas magic,

D.

Day 359. Goodbye summer

   The last day of summer feels just like the last page of that wonderful book you don't want to end. It's the last spoon of your favorite cake, the last drop of coffee with your best friend, the last minute of a breathtaking sunset. 

   This day has so much emotion in it that you don't know what to do with it. It's like you're holding a jar full of bits of happiness, melancholy, longing, ecstasy, sadness and eagerness altogether. It's what you felt these past 3 months. It was the time when you were able to fulfill your dreams, the time you were looking forward to, the most time spent dating... yourself:) And now it's coming to an end just like any other beautiful thing. The good part about it though is that you stored all the memories you made. Now you can go back to them whenever you'll feel blue during those long, rainy autumn days. 

   So open the lid and take out happiness. Hold onto it. Because knowing you were happy during summer will give you enough energy to be happy during autumn as well. And remember. Autumn can be an awesome season. So don't spend time feeling melancholic for the past summer, invest it in making new memories that would make you just as happy as summer did. Smile:) An awesome, golden autumn is just around the corner:)

Day 253. Looking back

   Today I realized that sometimes facing or simply thinking about our past brings up sadness. 

   It's all about the unresolved issues with ourselves or with the others. That's why we often try to avoid the unsettling past and find distractions to direct us to the future. And it's only natural if you think that it wasn't always our fault that things ended the way they did. The worst part is when you know you can't do anything to make peace with that person and just move on being at peace with yourself. In this situation you don't have many options. 

   So even if all the ride home I was sad about some mistake I've done in the past, I now know that as much as I'd want to I can't do anything to undo it. Thus, I'm redirecting my attention towards the bright present and the bright future. Because in the end "it's okay to make mistakes. Mistakes are our friends -- they help us to grow."

Day 221. The path

   I had a bittersweet day today. I found out things that were both good and bad for me. 

   I got upset with people, myself, life. Then I took another breath and it was like I was talking to God who was telling me: "Do you trust Me, Dana?" and I said: "I do." "Then, give up on your anger and sadness and just enjoy the good things you found out today. I'm going to take care of you, don't worry." So I listened to that inner talk and I enjoyed the sunny day while laying on the bench with my eyes closed. 

   Today, more than ever, I had reasons to believe that everything happens for a reason and that there's a path written for every one of us before we were even born. When we come to this world, we walk on it without knowing that all our future decisions are already known and somehow through all the great uncertainty of this world, the big puzzle keeps being solved. And people end up being happy. If that's what they seek. I certainly seek happiness. And happiness I shall have. 

"Everything will be okay in the end.

If it's not okay, it's not the end."