Oh the weather outside is (not so) frightful
Hello you mini marshmallow.
It's December! Wasn't it June like 2 weeks ago? But no matter. The festive season is officially upon us, which also means cold and wind and snow here in Ottawa.
However life goes on, as we all know. It was a dear friend's birthday this week, and a small group of us decided to give a collective middle finger to the cold and come together for a socially distanced outdoor celebration on Saturday afternoon. In preparation, we came with ALL THE THINGS: winter jackets, hats and mitts, sleeping bags and blankets and hoodies, folding chairs, boots and socks-- whatever we could muster in order to be apart but together while steeling ourselves against the cold.
And spend time apart but together, we did-- over two hours bundled up as tightly as we each could manage, nibbling on cookies and nursing cups of hot chocolate (that went cold VERY quickly, but were still delicious). It was such a joy! Even with the cold. Or maybe even because of the cold in a way.
For me, it was a little reminder that love wins. Of course, it would have been much more comfortable to gather indoors. But that is not possible right now. So we adapted and got together anyway, as best we could. Because of the complications, it felt more adventurous, more special and more memorable to come together in this way to celebrate our friend. It almost felt subversive to me, like we were cheating the system-- to recognize and honor our friend by creating a small, slightly rebellious social oasis where we could enjoy the simple pleasure of a friendly hang out. Just for a couple of hours, while freezing our butts off. But freezing our butts off together. And it was marvelous!
That said, while the pandemic has provided opportunities to get creative and explore novel ways of being in communion with others, like everyone else, I am also looking forward to the eventual light at the end of the tunnel. With only a few weeks to go until the end of the year, I think we are all wondering how to take stock of 2020, and think about what the new year might bring. To that end, I wanted to share this reflection prompt from Catherine Andrews (who puts together a great newsletter if you are interested), and who suggests writing a letter to 2020:
Dear 2020:
How I would describe you in three words is…
The way you made me feel most was…
Our biggest struggle together was…
I really wish that…
What I struggled with the most is…
What I may miss the most is…
I’m so angry that you…
And yet I’m thankful that…
I never wanted…
Sometimes I think about…
What I learned from you is…
I wish to forgive you for…
I hope for you that…
Now that you are leaving I feel…
What I’m happy to say goodbye to is…
After I write this letter, I am making the conscious choice to…
I think they are really great prompts, and I look forward to digging in.
As we move through this slightly awkward festive season and continue to all do our best to make silk purses out of a sow's ear, part of the art of this holiday will be to continue making smart decisions (oh the temptation to relax the vigilance when we are getting so close to a vaccine! But we just have to stay healthy for a few more months). But also to make decisions that keep us connected to each other and to the joy of being in communion-- both with the situation such that it is, and with each other in whatever ways we can manage.
So happy holidays to one and all! I hope you find ways to (safely) rage against the machine and find each other in the chilly months ahead.
PS: Speaking of modest acts of rebellion, I also thought I would to share this recent entry on PostSecret, which revolves around someone sharing the secret recipe for her grandmother's Apple Cream Pie after her aunts wanted to keep it a secret. She loved the pie, and thought the world should enjoy it. And so they are. The internet has dubbed it Petty Aunt Pie, and people are baking it en masse. I have not given it a go yet, but sounds delicious! I thought I would share it here in case anyone wants to give it a go this holiday season:
But wait! Perhaps all of this talk of secret pies and mourning the year that was is feeling a bit too intense on a sunny Sunday morning? Well then why not take a little trip down memory lane by checking out this overview of all the things you already forgot about 2020
Still too much realness? Then please enjoy this rendition of "Jingle Bells" played with wrenches...
From one rearview-mirroring person to another, I am glad that we can reflect on the year together. I hope you enjoyed this dispatch, and have an appreciation-filled week!
Until next-next Sunday,
The Earnest Platypus