With nearly 20 inches of snow beginning to fill Boston with post Christmas spirit, I feel it's the first time I am sitting, calm and have no where to be. Don't get me wrong, I love the fast paced life, the busy schedules and the joyous feeling of falling into bed after somehow cramming 25 hours into a 24 hour day. But for now, this quiet and stillness is just what I've craved.
Seeing as the last month flew by, the backtracking seems to ramble from my mouth. Thanksgiving was the best and by best I mean best. Just what I needed, just what I hoped for. Days upon returning to Boston, we drove up to Vermont where the freezing ice revealed my first snow dusting of the season. Kevin did a show and opened for Nick Cannon (did I really forget to tell everyone Kev does stand up comedy...), we saw old camp friends, reunited with Kevin's college friends and returned to warmer weather in B-town.
Days later we hoped on the Fung-Wah bus and headed south to the ever so magical land of New.York.City. Within 48 hours, we saw it all. Friends for bottomless brunch, Cake Boss, Dylan's Candy Bar, Serendipity, The Plaza and made Home Alone faces, the Rockefeller tree that literally brought a tear to my eye, Bryant Park ice skating, the ever so inspiring NY Public Library, celebrities in Greenwich, college friends in the lower east side and spent a solid sleep in Hoboken with Kevin's oldest childhood friend. As the rain began to pour, we headed back to Boston, a winning Patriot's game and just in time to get the Anglin Christmas tree!
The first weekend in Boston, in nearly a month, gave me the much needed opportunity to reevaluate things. Here we were deep in the Christmas season, the first snow blessed us, the joyful holiday spirit in full bloom and I was stuck in bed for the 3rd time in a month with the flu. The weakened immunity brought out my strengths as I decided to make a new plan. A new and yes again progressing plan. A plan where I'm no longer this fresh grad starving for work but am an adult beginning to make it. The plan is still in the creation period but just the feeling of knowing I can do more, I can be more- has fully uplifted my spirits.
Christmas arrived at a record speed. School closed, celebrations occurred and suddenly it was Christmas Eve. Time for a selfish confession. As a true lover of Christmas and one who relies too heavily on the love and support of her family, I thought this Christmas was going to slip away and I'd be left in shambles. Thousands of miles away from my own traditions, my own stocking, my own family, I felt that I'd be forgotten and just prayed the holiday would pass. I even feel embarrassed now to confess such selfish thoughts but I am confident enough to laugh at myself and tell you all that this was truly the best Christmas I've ever had. Not only was I not forgotten but I don't think I've ever been so remembered. Starting from the parents at school to my parents on the west coast to Kevin's parents here in Boston- I have truly never felt so loved in my life. The Anglin's graciously asked me to spend the holiday with them. They shared their traditions and treated me as one of their own. Christmas Eve dinner with 20 cousins, meeting Grandma Christmas day, a stocking hung with care and a spot in their family Christmas photo. The entire day was perfect and the only tear shed was when I opened Kevin's gift and I've never felt more thankful for or loved by anyone before. White snow, delicious food and the pure warmth of family. A hilarious conference call (thanks Skype!) to California let me hear the voices I had been missing and for a moment I felt I was sitting there right at Jeffrey court.
Maybe it's because I'm getting older but then again maybe it's because I need to grow up. My mentality and views on things such as Christmas have begun to change. I no longer run downstairs in PJs to daze over Santa's presents or even make a Christmas list and hope that I've made it on the nice list. But now, 22 years later, I think I'm beginning to understand the real meaning of Christmas. It was a whole season of love, of believing in yourself, of making dreams come true and of being surrounded by family whether or not they share your last name. This new insight, this new blessing was the greatest gift of all. I still can't wait to see the people who know me best (and revealed that in this year's tradition of limericks) and let California embrace me with her sunshine. But until then I'll be okay. I've got time, I've got dreams and plans to make and it's safe to say, I've got a pretty good thing going for me here in Boston.
