I was reviewing the file of our annual Christmas Letters this week. It seemed that the timeless closing paragraph of our Christmas 2000 might make for a thoughtful blog for this week:
“As we were decorating our tree last week…the inevitable happened. Someone dropped one of those Christmas balls. Crash. And another. Crash. Every year. It is the same thing…we break at least one of them. Whoever invented those things anyway? How impractical can you get? I mean, you use them year after year. Soda cans are more durable and they get used only once. Who invented these fragile ornaments anyway? What were they thinking? At first glance it appears that they weren’t thinking at all. But then again, maybe they were. Maybe their intention was to remind us just how fragile life can be. This year, as in every year, one breaks … and we were reminded. Treat it gently. Hang it with care. And as you work … periodically step back and see the beauty. Wishing you a Christmas Season of beauty and a New Year full of meaningful opportunities … handled them with care!”