December 2004

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I wasn't lying when I told someone yesterday that I was ready for Christmas. The question I was answering may not have been what she was asking, though. I meant I was ready for the emotional impact of the day. It seems I'm not really ready for the gift-giving thing; I forgot one. Oh well, I know what I want to get and where it needs getting, and since it's for a local friend I can drop it off in plenty of time on Friday.

A client dropped by the office on Wednesday, bearing chocolate and other goodies for all of us. There were only four of us there, so we did some serious dividing. Not to mention some serious munching. We hope the ones of the law firm family who won't be back till next week understand that we saved them from the horrors of week-old chocolate candy.

In my burst of seasonal smart-assery, I enclosed a small gift in a greeting card to one friend. Said friend had tripped and fallen recently, and broken his nose. He was to have dinner that evening with a large group, and was so tired of being questioned about the bruises that by dinner time he came up with a clever way to warn off the curious (yes, I did almost use "nosy" there). He put a sticky note on his forehead, bearing the message, "I broke my nose. No questions, please."

Since that sounds quite like something I would have done, I wanted to comment on it. I have a batch of sticky notes with my name and that of my business on them, so I put several in his card, with the comment that I heard he had come up with a creative use for the notes and I thought I'd replenish his supply.

Revisiting the Keeping of Watch - December 22

Last year on this day I wrote of keeping watch, of how people were doing just that, in non-intrusive ways. Several times this year I've mentioned the notion again. It continues to be a source of profound joy to me, to both watch and be watched.

And I've been sitting here trying to figure out a way to write of that joy. The writing is infinitely difficult precisely because of the joy involved.

The watching and being watched themselves are the base of the joy. And the doing is purely informal. I have a group of people upon whom I keep an eye. Each of those people has his or her own group of people upon whom watchful eyes are cast.

Sometimes there is a great deal of overlap; sometimes not so much. Sometimes we know who is paying close attention at any given moment, and sometimes we do not.

It boils down to one profound, glorious thing: knowing that one matters.

In that is joy, for this season and for all others.

I am delighted to be participating again in Holidailies. In addition to those participating in the portal, there are writers who are doing "Holidailies at Home." A list of those participants, as well as other information about Holidailies, is available through the link.