Love, Unadulterated

I have much to blog about for the Christmas holiday. I have been somewhat incommunicado for the past week due to traveling, and there is much to blog about. First, let me wish you all happy holidays, no matter what you celebrate, even if all you celebrate is a little extra sleep. And for the holidays, I wish you all love, unadulterated. Love, in its purest of forms. For me, this was a very special Christmas. No, it wasn't because I got a ton of whiz-bang gifts, though an iPod nano would have been the shit to get. I got a lot better than that. As I've gotten older, I've become less infatuated with the Christmas holiday. For me, I feel that Christmas as the world in general celebrates it is for children. And for the young at heart, I suppose, but I'm just a cranky old soul. It has lost its wonder for me, and I have come to appreciate it more for the religious aspect - that the Creator of the Universe gives us his most precious gift and humbles himself to bring about the first part of the mechanism that brings us life everlasting and joy beyond comparison. Easter is truly the greatest holiday because it is the fulfillment of the promise, at great cost - the shedding of the blood of God - so that death itself can be conquered. Now there is the greatest gift. But I digress. So my Christmases are more focused on what's important - remembering the gift itself, rather than giving material gifts and indulging in the rabid commercialism that overtakes our society. I much prefer to give presence than presents. But then, gift-giving is not my love language. I digress again. Anyway, I spent a lot of time with my family this weekend. I drove to central Virginia to meet up with my sister and her family on Friday. We then hauled out down to Florida to meet up with my parents and my brother. My brother was unable to travel because of his resurgent illness, so my sister and her husband got the great idea to bring Christmas to him. God blessed us and I managed to get the time off to make the trip. And off we went. I'll blog about some of the other stuff, but the focus of this particular post is one of the highlights of my weekend - the feeling of love, unadulterated. My youngest nephew, my brother's son, is 2. He's just a sweet, precious little ball of energy with these beautiful long lashes, large and luminous eyes, and a face that is as warm as the sun. However, getting a hug from this kid is not easy!! He likes the word "no" like most 2-year-olds do. But on Christmas, out of the blue, I got my first spontaneous hug! It was so sweet, it warmed my cranky old heart! He just came over to me and hugged me with this huge bear hug and a great big smile, and gave me a kiss. I was bowled over. Finally!! We took him back to my sister's so that my sister-in-law could get a break and make some arrangements for his care since my brother wasn't doing so well. In the car, after I had driven the first leg of the trip and switched to the back seat, he did it again! He reached up and hugged me, and smothered me with his cute baby kisses. I live for this stuff. So this is what it feels like, eh? To have love, pure love, without strings? Sweet, affectionate love without pain or manipulation. It's not romantic love, the kind we pine for as teenagers and beyond. But still - it's so unique in that it's unconditional and pure and sweet. It trusts, delights in truth, always hopes. It can make up for many wrongs. That was a fabulous Christmas gift. Quite possibly the best Christmas gift I've ever received. It's definitely up there. Thank you, my widdle boo boo. You've just made my year.