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In the Blink of Christmas Morning

It’s 6:00 a.m. The house is quiet, everyone still asleep, but you burst from your bed with excitement. You rush down the hall to your parents’ room, screaming and cheering until they wake up. Then you sprint to the living room, where the presents sit waiting beneath the tree. Soon, everyone is gathered together, tearing open wrapping paper. Your dad is recording every moment on the video camera, your mom beaming with joy, smiling ear to ear as she watches you open your gifts. All is right with the world.

You blink, and suddenly, twenty years have passed, and everything is different. You no longer care about the presents under the tree; you are simply grateful to be surrounded by family. There is no rushing anymore, just going with the flow. You do not worry about how much food is on your plate, and you go back for seconds because it is all just that good. The day slips by in the blink of an eye, and before you know it, you are back home, lying in your bed.

...

The years have passed far too quickly. So much has changed, yet the Christmas memories remain tucked away in our hearts. Age is a quiet trap. It arrives when we are not looking, and somehow, we never even get the chance to say goodbye to our childhoods. It all just happens when the floor vanishes beneath our feet, and everyone just expects us to be okay with it. 

Christmas can sometimes feel like a trap. The magic may grow weary, and we are sent on a journey to find it again. It can feel heavy on our hearts, and we begin to grieve our childhoods back. Even during all the heartache, the Christmas magic never truly goes away. 

We have the power to make new traditions, to spread cheer and joy to others, to be kind in a time when people can be cruel, and to bring magic back to our lives. One day, we will have our own kids, and we can share the magic we experienced with them and make it much better. 

Christmas isn’t a selfish time. It’s the most empathetic and joyful season of the year, because the energy we pour into it finds its way back to us when we need it most. We can choose to be the Saint Nicks of the world, even when we are surrounded by a sea of Scrooges.

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