Christmas Is Come And Gone

I hope your holiday has been peaceful and happy.  My holiday was relatively quiet and more relaxed than I expected it to be.  I am a little bit tired, but mostly recovered from the last two weeks.  I bounced back much quicker than I usually do.  I have been being a bit more careful of how I am eating this week.  I am more or less back on track with healthy eating.  I have not been eating as much of the holiday treats as I was last week. 

I want to continue to stay healthy and keep my diabetes under tight control.  Remember, I said that it is something you have to stay vigilant about.   Forgive yourself when you slip up and start again.  I made sure I ate my veggies and protein everyday.  Now I will be back on track with eating and exercise.   I took a walk today.   I haven’t walked since last Sunday.  That’s not too bad.   For me not to walk for a week though is a long time.   I walk unless the weather is really cold or bad, or I have been really sick.   I’ve been known to walk in a downpour.   But I have to get back on schedule with my 3 to 4 walks a week and riding my exercise.

Yesterday we had my mother over for Christmas Day.  My brother spent the day with his wife's family.  This was the first Christmas ever, which I haven’t, spent with my father and my brother.   I talked to my brother on the phone.   Although that's not quite the same, at I could at least speak to him.  Without my father, it didn't really feel as much like Christmas.   But I went about the day cleaning and preparing the meal very calmly.  Everything was done on time and it all went so smoothly.   I don’t really like to cook, so I liked this new peaceful and calm me. 

Thanks to practicing meditation, I didn't become tearful or sad and my emotions were in check all day.  I put together a lovely meal and the day was serene and pleasant.  I am grateful for the lessons learned about grieving and how meditation affects emotions.   I had thought I might have a bad day.   In fact I was dreading Christmas coming this year.   Instead it was a nice day and we talked about my father and fondly remembered him.  

I still have vivid memories of our last Christmas.  It was spent at the hospital.   It was special because he was awake and happy.  My focus was on him while we were there.  He was in good spirits that day despite all that was going on with him.  The staff was made up of such nice people, and many felt almost like family by Christmas.  I saw them more than everyone else, except my husband.   My father had a lot of favorite people there.  They came in to talk to him even when they didn’t have him as a patient.  It helped him get through the day and so many illnesses.  Today, I can remember them and that time fondly.