The turkey dinners are finished, the soups made and stored in the freezer for future meals, and in New England the cold and dark set in early. In Vermont, they call this stick season--before the snow flys and coats the trees and mountains in white. It's a dreary time of year, and sometimes it's hard to remember the joy of the coming Christmas season. Black Friday crowds shown pushing and shoving each other on tv remind me of a materialism that seems to be taking over-- like a powerful machine that can't be stopped.
The remedy for this craziness, I think, is a cup of tea and a good book! Or a conversation with a friend on the telephone--or better yet a visit with them, where you actually sit and talk, stop and listen to each other's cares and concerns. An overly hectic, busy world can feel sad and lonely, sometimes. But the truth of the season is in the love we share with family and friends when we remember to take the time to slow down.