My 2018 Christmas Reflection

A very happy Christmas to all my dear readers.

I’m spending the day with family and friends and hope you will also, whether you celebrate Christmas or not.

In Germany, shops closed at 2:00P.M. on Christmas Eve and will remain closed until December 27th. I chuckled as I walked through a department store yesterday and saw the Christmas tree candles on display. Things are bit more old school here than LED lights and blinking bulbs. Indeed, the Christmas tree at my in-laws’ house features real candles.

Last night, as we sung Christmas carols around the flickering tree, I thought about the importance of time off to stop and appreciate the lights and sounds and smells of the season. More broadly, rest is so essential to enjoy anything in life.

I’ve worked myself into the ground this year. My business partner has worked himself into the ground this year. We’ve seen progress in our company. My blog continues to grow rapidly…I cannot look back on the year with regret.

But will I finally be a able to take day off? To give my staff some time off, I’ve been helping Award Expert clients with last-minute Christmas trips and helping my dear client stuck on a boat enroute to Antarctica get home.

It may be Christmas, but there’s no rest yet. But perhaps this is just a small reminder that our work is never done. That every day is an opportunity to love and to care for others, since we really can never check out of life.

Tomorrow we are taking my son to the zoo then going for a long hike. I’m looking forward to disconnecting. But our work continues. It always does.