Life's Gifts

Special Things to Look Forward To

How We Get Through the Ordinary Days

Life is full of gifts-

Out of the 365 days in a year most days are relatively ordinary- we wake up, we go to school or work, we complete work/school oriented tasks, we go home, have dinner, and go to sleep. This is how we live our lives the majority of the time and it can become exceptionally monotonous. But every once in a while we are blessed with life's gifts, special things or extraordinary days to look forward to, and these special days can help us push through the seemingly endless number of ordinary days. Life has a way of providing us with these special things exactly when we need them. For example right before Thanksgiving I was completely burnt out. I needed a break from school and my daily routine. Right when I felt as if I couldn't keep going any longer life stepped in with a gift- Thanksgiving! After the holiday I felt more refreshed, happy to have seen my family, and ready to face the long expanse of ordinary days that awaited me when I returned to school. Of course, I am feeling tired again and ready for the semester to be over. How am I getting through these ordinary days that are filled with class, final assignments, and a painful monotony? I am keeping in mind that I have something special to look forward to in the near future. Another one of life's gifts is quickly approaching and helping me get through the end of the semester. Winter break is only 2 weeks away and Christmas is quickly approaching. Life is once again giving me a gift exactly when I need it most. I have been busting my butt all semester and I am physically and mentally exhausted. I am ready for a reprieve and I am able to get through these ordinary days because I know the break I long for is right around the corner.

"Vacation used to be a luxury, but in today's world it has become a necessity."

- Author Unknown

Technology prevents us from being unreachable-

I find this quote to be exceptionally true. Our world moves at such a quick pace. We are expected to be able to do multiple things at once. It is assumed that we will always be reachable by phone or email. The inventions of smart phones, laptops, and tablets has made it that we never get a moment of peace and solitude. In this new world that we live in we rarely get the time to just be, to just do nothing, to escape. The pressure of all of it becomes too much. We need to get away- disregard expectations, forget responsibilities, take time to breathe- and life's gifts allow us to do this. As the quote says these gifts are not a luxury but in fact a necessity. They drive us to push through the ordinary days and keep us sane by providing us with a break from our demanding lives. 


"A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in."

- Robert Orben

Orben's definition of vacation is exactly the kind of break I am looking forward to at the moment. We need balance in our lives. After this difficult semester and the finals period that is approaching I am going to do need this time to do absolutely nothing for hours at a time. I can get through the demands and obligations that I face at the moment only because I know that a vacation of bliss and relaxation awaits me in the near future. The specific vacation and special thing that I am referring to right now is of course Winter Break and Christmas. To me Christmas is life's most special and exciting gift. 

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold everything is softer and more beautiful."

- Norman Vincent Peale

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world..."

Christmas brings me happiness. This season reminds me of my childhood, blissful ignorance, family fun, and times when life felt so much easier. During this time of year I get to experience all the pleasures of my happy childhood. I am reminded of how blessed I have been in my life. I can smile at the simple things- Christmas carols, holiday lights, Starbuck's seasonal coffee cups. I can get through my ordinary days, complete my work, and fight my eating disorder because I am looking forward to Christmas. It is one of those special things that pushes me through my work, encourages me to keep fighting, and entices me. Christmas is my reward for all the work I have done over the course of this semester. 
Life often becomes overwhelming and too difficult to bear. We need special things to look forward to in order to help us get through the ordinary days. Luckily the special things come naturally in the form of life's gifts. These gifts aren't necessarily holidays, they can be anything that breaks from your typical routine- birthdays, a visit from a friend, vacation, a celebratory dinner, a financial splurge. These little things can help break up the monotony of our typical day. We can get through the ordinary days because we await these gifts with happy anticipation. And we return to our routine we feel a little better, more at ease, and refreshed. Day-to-day living can be difficult and tiring but by keeping these special things in mind we can make it through. We can push through these ordinary and exhausting days because G-d blesses us with breaks, gifts, and special occasions to keep us going!

Keep in mind that life's gifts are abundant,
xo

Can't wait for break so I can sit back and relax !

24 Days Til Christmas

 

Sleigh Ride, The Carpenters