What I Want for Christmas Now...

 By Helen Vollmer, President

I can’t count how many times I’ve already been asked this year by friends and family, “And what do you want for Christmas?” The answer always is the same: “I can’t really think of anything. I have everything that I want.” Which, of course, makes me truly blessed and for which I am incredibly thankful.
 
And yet . . . the question begs an answer on perhaps a bit larger scale. Amidst the frantic shopping, decorating and eating frenzy in which we find ourselves currently, this is a great time to reflect on what we really want and need in our lives.

My moment for this came yesterday as I watched my husband and daughter string holiday lights on a hurricane- weathered tree in our front yard. A sense of calm and “all is right with the world” washed over me. And I realized that it is often the small moments in our lives that perhaps are the most meaningful. And because they are so fleeting, are underappreciated.

I and my family live life on a fairly large scale. We all like being busy, working and playing hard and making sure the world doesn’t pass us by. We tend to “think big picture,” understanding (as all those who have ever worked alongside me have heard) that every action has a consequence, every word has a meaning. We are planners, and plot out our days collectively by what needs to get accomplished next. From what I see around me, we are not alone in this approach to living life fully and to the extent our resources allow.

And yet . . . when pressed, what I want for the holidays and beyond is to savor the small things that make my life full, including:

• Clinking glasses raised in toast with friends
• Holding hands in the darkened movie theater with my husband
• The flit of a cardinal passing in front of me
• A tight hug in hello or goodbye from our too grown-up daughters
• A young staffer racing in with a big win for a client
• Sunday mornings with coffee and newspapers in hand
• Wearing the right clothes for security checks at airports
• One more day of good health.

Living large while appreciating individual moments is not a mutually exclusive arrangement. But it does take a bit of effort to make great memories—and then periodically remembering to breathe them in and hold them close to us. Doing this is not only a gift to ourselves but a legacy for all of those around us.

What do you want this holiday season? It may just be a trick question that can ring in the true meaning of the season.