Christmas Morn

I was dreading traveling on Christmas Eve because of all the news reports for this weekend’s traveling being really challenging. Traveling around/on any major holiday isn’t for the faint of heart. Now that the days are shorter and it gets darker earlier, it’s even more grueling. Traffic in PA was kinder than I expected; NJ wasn’t so bad either (this is where I made my stops for fuel and food). NY is where it started to get dicey but once I got over the GW bridge, it seemed to be smooth sailing after that until I realized I had spoken too soon.

It’s always a doozy making it through CT considering I spend the most time driving through that state (at least 2 hours). It’s just too long for no good reason. The only thing it has to offer is Exxon gas stations and Dunkin Donuts. Why is it that if you stop for 7 minutes, it adds another 20-30 minutes to your commute? This is why I fill up on gas in Jersey (love their full service stations) and I love it’s rest stops on the turnpike, especially the Joyce Kilmer one with it’s new shops and facilities. I left PA later than expected (had to pack and deep clean) so I already knew most of my commute would be done in the dark. What I didn’t anticipate was rain and heavy fog the closer I got to MA. I had my heart in my throat the rest of the way.

When I finally get to my parents house, I walk in to find my dad watching Andrea Bocelli (an Italian tenor) and André Rieu (a Dutch violinist and symphony conductor) concerts on YouTube, so I join him for another family holiday tradition of ours. There’s something about watching Andrea’s “Con Te Partirò” (“Time to Say Goodbye”, watch it here) that always pulls at my heart strings. It’s just so beautiful and sad at the same time, and I’ve loved most of the renditions I’ve heard of it. After my dad left for a prayer meeting, I was joined by my oldest and second oldest nephews for hours of catching up and discussions about life goals. I was reminded again why I make the monthly treks to see my family and the long journey to see them doesn’t seem so arduous after all.

Christmas Eve night wasn’t without heated arguments but they at least ended with mutual understanding and apologies, something new in the family dynamic. Needless to say, I was exhausted after the long day I had. I had powered up my laptop, hoping to blog about the day/week but was shortly out like a light. Fatigue has been the norm these past few weeks, but this week’s exhaustion was on overload. I had postponed my travel so I could attend a holiday shindig hosted by one of my acquaintances. It’s probably one of the biggest ones I’ve ever been to in past years because of the themes, games, food, dancing and libations constantly flowing. There’s always a large turnout of friends old and new. Come the day of the party, I had no steam left in me. My body ached and my spirit and energy was low. I was trying to get myself psyched to dress up to the nines to step out for the festivities and my body was screaming “no”. I barely had the energy and mental capacity to message the host that I could no longer make it but a sense of relief washed over me once I hit “send” on my cancellation message. I just couldn’t do it.

I can only imagine what physical and mental state I would’ve been in this morning had I not prioritized rest on Saturday night. I would’ve been even more behind on Sunday had I not done so. The drive would’ve been even more unbearable and/or I may have postponed my travel for another day, due to the domino effect of doing too much. I’m still recovering from the week’s demands, from piling on way too much on an already full plate but I’m praying for more rest and relaxation now that I’m away. I’m starting to get ready to go visit my mom at her rehab, hoping to catch up with her over lunch before I start my rounds of pop-ins with family. Sure to be exhausting but worth it to lay eyes on them. I hope and pray that however you choose to spend your holiday, you are spending it surrounded by love or loving up on yourself. Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa!