It has been weeks since I have sat down to write. With health issues, doctor’s appointments, hurricane recovery, our own son’s wedding, traveling back to Virginia twice in three weeks, photographing six weddings, five family portraits, three senior portraits, two vacation properties and four days of corporate shoots I just really haven’t physically had the time or mental energy to commit to writing anything other than a to-do list. Which, by the way, I cannot function without.

But I have good news…my heart rate has been normal for over two weeks, so maybe it’s all behind me.

And more good news…even though I love summertime on Tybee, I am truly happy to slow down and really enjoy winter. I crave my carefree days that are coming in January. Days to stay in my flannel jammies all day sipping hot tea writing blog posts and planning my new year. Purging closets literally and figuratively. Removing unwanted debris from my life.

I welcome those eight weeks in January and February, when I can read books from cover to cover in one day…yes, I long for it. I need the solitude and time to center my life again. It’s like each year I get to know myself a little better and when that happens I become a more in tune wife, mom and friend. I take the time to take inventory of what’s most important, where I’m headed and how I’m going to get there. Time to allow my faith to deepen and my communion with God to be more pure. Throughout the year I strive to take moments each day to continue this practice, but in all honesty it’s really easy to miss the mark. So I receive the slower months as a gift.

It’s the last day of November and from the words in this post, it seems as if I’ve already skipped December.

Maybe I just know how fast December comes and goes so I’m preparing myself for it.

Or

Maybe I’m just setting myself up to start my slowdown ritual in December. The to-do list is getting whittled down. I can make the choice to unwind a little earlier this winter. Why wait till next year to slow down and enjoy a little peace and serenity?

Our Christmas season doesn’t have to be a crazy month of madness. We don’t have to go to every event, every party and participate in every gift exchange. That is, unless you really want to.If that is what brings happiness to you.

We each have the same hours in a day and we have the power to choose how we spend them, December is no different.

Here’s a little example of what I’m talking about. Last week Sean and I had a photoshoot in Washington DC. The session started at noon and we traveled to several monuments around the nation’s Capitol to photograph our long time customers in various settings with their three boys, capturing life as it unfolds. We wrapped up our session around 3:30, just in time to drive home in rush hour or should I say rush “four-hour” traffic. When we relocated to Georgia, traffic is something that we just gave up and refuse to participate in. After a lifetime to living in the DC metro area, it is a part of our past and not our present or future. Once we saw that everything was grid locked and it would be close to three hours to travel 46 miles, we just stopped. We pulled into a strip mall on the side of the road, walked into a restaurant and ordered a lovely meal. We relaxed and recounted moments from the day laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Two hours later after traffic had thinned out, we jumped on 95 and we were home in less than an hour and we were not stressed.

Shopping and gift giving doesn’t have to be pushing our way through crowded malls and waiting in line. Other options are plenty. This year, as I have more often each year, I choose to shop online for few purchases as well as shopping from small local businesses or making gifts from home.

So here’s to the arrival of December. May you pause, and enjoy it.