This Christmas was my daughter’s first “real” Christmas.  No she is not a baby, she is 17 and a senior in High School.

The reason I say it is her first one, is that this year she is working and decided to buy presents for all of our family herself, and in doing so, she went all out.  And it was a joy to behold.

First some history.

Throughout Kayla’s early years, times were somewhat hard.  I was military, recently divorced and remarried, and frankly we had little money for many years.

Kayla never lost her holiday spirit, and always took great delight in Christmas, even when there were only a few presents under the tree.

When she reached an age to want to give presents, we often didn’t have the resources to help her buy presents for the other kids, so she made her own.  Her present of choice for many years was to take scraps of cloth (she loved to sew and collected fabric) and batting and make mini pillows, some only a few inches long.  She would spend hours making them by hand, then wrapping them, so no one was forgotten.

They are treasured gifts.

She more then most kids her age “gets” Christmas, the spirit of giving and of sharing love.  This year was no different, as she has Christmas lights in her room.

so armed with a paycheck, she set out to spend more money on us than I wanted her too.  Her response was that this was her first real Christmas of buying her own presents for people, and she wanted to do it right.

So, when I think about Christmas this year, she occupies much pride in my thoughts.  What she bought me is not important, it is the thought and love she gave it.

I have been brooding a lot this year, and one of my primary areas of thought has been on the importance of my friends.  I have friends from many spheres and times.  I am in touch with 2 people who date back to my elementary school days, several high school friends, a few from my military days and many more that I have been blessed with in the later years.

All I can say, is that I am so deeply blessed to have such people in my life.  I hope they all know that.

Family is another area I am very blessed with.  My mom is still hanging in there against the odds of Lung Cancer.  She was given a year or two to live, but that was almost 5 years ago.  My father is also doing well living not far from here.  I am lucky to have them still around, and I don’t see them enough.

My siblings are well, though one is still missing, estranged for years now. 

And my extended family, the plethora of aunts, uncles and cousins, amazingly they all prosper, and every reunion is a happy one.

Sitting atop it all, is the grand matriarch, my grandmother.  She is failing, but still to this day remembers her kids (mostly) and is aware.

I hope in her final moment she is fully aware of the dynasty of love she leaves behind.

It is that love my youngest daughter embodies, including that generous spirit.  All of my children are my joy (mostly [grin]), and I have no favorite, but I would be remiss not to notice how special her spirit is.

Truly I am blessed.

I get consumed by work, by stress, by emotional issues and by the world around me, and often it is hard to see the bright spots.

Then I remember my friends and family, and I remember that I am part of a wide circle of love.

And it’s not so bad.  I hope I can always remember that.

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