Dooley Noted: 12/25/2014
When I was a kid, I was supremely excited about my Christmas gifts.
I would shake each package, analyzing each one to determine its contents.
But when I was 10, I let curiosity get the best of me.
I peeked into some edges of the packages.
Thinking I was clever, I carefully peeled the edges and put them back in their places.
It didn’t take long for my mother to discover my deviant behavior.
She marched up to my room. As she called me out, I expected her to get angry and punish me.
She did neither.
She cried.
She was so excited to give me what I wanted for Christmas. We were poor, but my parents made sure we never knew it. They worked all year just to give us an amazing Christmas.
With my greed, I had ruined her surprise and stolen the spirit of Christmas.
In that moment, I was so ashamed. I’ve been working ever since to restore my mother’s faith in my Christmas spirit.
She states I’ve done nicely.
The mistake I made at 10 is something about which we laugh. There’s so much fun, love, and surprise to every Christmas since 1988.
If you lacked the holiday spirit this year, it’s never too late to get it back.
Give. Love. Share. Laugh. And don’t peek into the gift edges.
The best feelings you can imagine are worth the wait.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley