Keeping it simple

This post might be a little early for Christmas but I didnt want to get too caught up in things before having the opportunity to write it because if you post this kind of thing in January, it's just kinda weird. We all know that it's so easy to get so busy that we miss all that is out there for us to appreciate - the sights, the smells, the sounds that surround us. 

For those of us who have diabetes, this is doubly true because we also deal with a disease that tends to dominate our time, and we count buckets of carbs, we rage bolus trying to get our blood glucose numbers in line, and we ride the famous glucoaster. We do all of this and we do all the things that regular folk do - the shopping, the baking, and all the things that go along with the holiday season. And some of us crash and burn. 

I was reminded on the weekend that simple things make me happy. As we took down our rather bedraggled but well-loved fake Christmas tree and put up a mighty fine Douglas fir, the smell of the tree scented air, mingling with a hint of apple cinnamon spice (alas compliments of Glade, not my baking).

The room has lit up from colourful tree lights, pretty garlands wrapped with more coloured lights, wrapping the room. As a twinkling wonderland emerged in our house, the room also filled with Christmas carols and songs, setting the mood, and throwing me back to sometime way back. I love Christmas music. And what better song to decorate the tree and my family room for Christmas than a little Vince Guaraldi and dancing to a little Linus and Lucy.

But I saw something else this weekend, that just made me feel happy. It made me happy because a 16 year old youth, who totally gets Christmas and what it's all about, created a wonderful video, performing the Little Drummer Boy - the drums, all the instruments, directing, shots - everything. Gotta love this dude!

He says, "I just want people to remember what Christmas is about. It's not about Santa, it's not about presents. It's about the birth of Christ, and that's what's important to me right now."

In an interview with CBC News, Sean Quigley, a high school student in Winnipeg, Manitoba, tells the story of how the video came to be. He was going to film it in front of the Christmas tree, but the lighting wasn't working, and he scrapped the idea the night before he was to shoot it. He said, "I prayed that I would get something awesome and woke up the next day and it just happened to snow all night and the beautiful scenery that you see in the music video."

He touches on what faith can bring - that sometimes that we are given the gift of what we need. And we can learn from that. 

He also says, in a typical way that only a 16 year old can carry off so casually, "I just did it for kicks".

Yeah, Sean. You did it in the best way possible and you remind us what this is all about, and there is no better time than this as we get busy with the season. Whether it's Christmas, Hanukkah, or whatever you celebrate, let this young dude remind us to take a moment, breathe deeply and remember that life is about the simple things. It's time to say to the people in our lives, thanks for being there. And as I get busy this season, buying gifts and whatnots for the people in our lives,I will once again immerse myself in the twinkling lights, hints of air freshener fresh baking and forest smells in my family room Christmas Wonderland, while enjoying some cookies Bailey's, listening to music and remembering that it's not the gifts that make this a wonderful time of year. I will remember what it's all about and just hang out with those that mean the most to me. (That, and I won't forget to bolus for said Bailey's!)

This season I resolve to subscribe to the KISS principle - Keep It Simple Santa.