(*FYI, I don’t believe God points his big ol’ finger at people and makes them sick. It’s metaphorical.)
Right in the middle of the most peaceful and yet busiest time of the year, (I’m still trying to figure that one out) I developed a case of shingles. Every one of the doctors and nurses who saw me said “You must be under a lot of stress.” See, there are three basic precipitators of shingles: old age (don’t go there... I’m still young) a compromised immune system (like cancer or AIDS) and stress.
Stress? My answer was, “I guess so.” I’m so used to stress that I don’t recognize it until it hits me in the face. And for once, that’s what happened. The rash started smack in the middle of my forehead and took over my left eye. For a couple of days I looked like I’d walked into a wall. I also had the “blehs,” that stomach-headache-tired thing that makes you just want to crawl under the covers.
And that’s what I did. Because this time, I had a doctor’s note. Oh, yes, I had stuff to do – Christmas cards still haven’t been sent out (sorry, everybody), last-minute shopping, stocking-stuffers, grocery shopping, plans to see family – but it all had to wait. A friend brought dinners (yay!) another brought chocolate (even better!) and my wonderful husband made his specialty: Anderson’s Soup, fresh from the can. Shingles is one of those diseases that goes away more quickly if you take care of it right away, and it did. Yesterday I felt good enough to (mostly) finish the shopping. Everything’s back to some semblance of normal.
What do I bring home from all this? We’ve heard it before, but we ignore it. The most important things at Christmas aren’t cards, presents, foods or favorite traditions. It’s wonderful to be with family, but if we can’t, we have telephones and Facebook. If “Peace on Earth” means crawling under the covers and getting well, then do it. If it means caring for someone who’s sick or sad when you “should” be doing something else, do it. Go ahead and enjoy your traditions, but don’t get so lost in the ritual that you forget the meaning.
For me, the meaning of Christmas is the incredible grace that God set in motion when he sent Jesus to earth to walk among us. It’s also the sometimes overflowing love that I feel for my friends and family, and the desire to make this world a better place for all of us. It takes 365 days a year to convey that love. Today, Christmas Eve, is as good a day as any.
Have a joyful Christmas, Everybody! And take care of yourself. You mean a lot to someone.
Peace, Love, Health
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