Small things make me smile and lift my spirits.

Christmas makes me happy

As soon as I returned home after Thanksgiving, my sister Gay and I decorated my house for Christmas. I don't put up a tree, but my house is festive. 

I saw people with outside Christmas lights before Thanksgiving, and I was glad to see them. We all need some cheering up.

The day after Thanksgiving,  Gay and Stu drove me around Roswell, GA to see the lights and decorations in the neighborhoods. Living in a rural area, I seldom see this. 

We need the happiness and joy that Christmas brings us even if the holidays will not be the same as in the past. I find myself looking for small things to make me smile and lift my spirits. Across the street from me lives a lovely young mother with the cutest little boy. Sarah and Ivan come over often to bring me my mail and to walk Lexie. While I was away, Sarah looked out for package delivery and made sure the boxes were put inside my door and out of the weather. Tomorrow she will pick up some things for me at the grocery. 

One day Sarah said they were exploring my yard because they had seen something interesting. She homeschools Ivan and I assumed this was part of his studies. When I saw what interested him, I made this photo.

The giant mushroom is growing on the stump of the huge tree that fell over in my side yard. The trunk of the tree, lying on its side, is five feet high. The rest of the tree was cut and hauled off, but this mammoth wood sculpture is an interesting piece of art I see each time I drive from my house. Plants have begun to grow on it and inside the hollow.

Ivan was captivated by nature's creativity. He and his mother researched and found the name of the brightly colored, layered growth. I was told it is actually edible, but no one wants to give that a try. 

One of the negatives of being a mature adult with no children is I seldom see and talk with young ones. My nieces and nephews who have children and grandchildren live many miles away. I was once a teacher of small children and the kindergarten students were my favorites. Four and five-year-olds are such fun. I think Ivan is older, but he is still cute and well-behaved, too.

It pleases me to see a single mother doing such a wonderful job of parenting. It also pleases me to see a young person who is quick to give a helping hand, who calls to see how she might help. I hear there are some who think of no one but themselves. Their parents complain about their children, but I know people like Sarah and another young woman I will write about later, who are caring and giving, and do it because they think it is the right thing to do. 

I see the Christmas spirit in them and in the world around me. I will hold on to that for now.