"WON'T BE" to HOPEFUL!

A Message from Christmas - its a message for today!

Written in December 2020. Posted on February 3, 2021. Perhaps the ideas are even more important, as we reflect on the past year.

You could say 2020 was the year that..... won't be happening.  There are graduations, weddings, many, many personal occasions, as well as public, community, events that happen every.single.year no matter what. But not in 2020. They "won't be" happening. Canceling is the sign of precaution. or protection. or uncertainty. 

Did you ever think that not doing all the preparations and all the planning would be causing us to be hopeful? Nope. We have been given a lot to handle, a lot more than we feel we deserve, a lot more than we ever dared to think about or plan for. If you take a few moments, you can also name many blessings and answers that have been revealed because of the lack of events, planning, personal and community. 

Here's a view from Carole. 

"Little by little I am adding seasonal decor without going all out since putting it all away is the hard part, and we will not be gathering this Christmas. So low key is my plan this year."

"This year I am not putting up a big tree or taking out the many boxes of decorations I have amassed over a lifetime of Christmas collecting. The antique ornaments are staying snugly wrapped in tissue bundling, all the Raggedy Ann and Andy ornaments won't see the light of day, nor will any of curated baubles from Bronners in Frankenmuth hang from a tree this year.

Two smaller trees are up, the mantle is merry, and my radio is crooning carols, but it has been a hard year. Our family won't be gathering, and I'm praying that 2021 is a better year." That is HOPE!

                                 

Did we ever stop to think that saying "Won't Be" is HOPEFUL? We are blessed with time to consider what matters. Its not that our family or family holiday events don't matter, because of course, they do. Its the lack of activities, its one time of not getting together. What matters isn't the Won't Be but the IS and the WILL BE. The fact that we are saying Won't Be is giving us HOPE. Yes, we've had a bad year, but we can reflect and HOPE for a better year ahead!

Thank you, Carole, for sharing your perspective. While viewing your Christmas collectibles, I could see the season from your perspective, and that in turn has helped me to stop looking at the "WON'T BE" moments, and in spite of the many sad times, I feel HOPEFUL, for today, for tomorrow, for the next year coming!

You can visit Carole's antique shop:

Antiques, uniques, collectibles and new items are available at Tickled Pink Antiques in Lowenstein's Antique Mall. Open 11-5, Negaunee, Michigan.