It’s the day after. There’s shredded paper on the floor, leftovers in the fridge, opened presents scattered about. Ella the exhausted greyhound is sleeping on her blanket at the foot of my chair. My daughter is on her computer exploring ideas to help with my blog. I’m on my laptop, playing with words and letters and simple ideas. My cats and parents are 600 miles away in the snow and cold. It’s so warm here I didn’t even put my socks on yet.

I can hear the downstairs neighbors talking and running. Enjoying their day after.

Their calm in the storm.

Because life has been really stormy for the past couple of years.

Masks in the classroom. Mandatory quarantines. Arrows on the floor in the grocery store. Missing members at family gatherings. Q-tips in nasal passages…

But for the moment, let’s pause. Let’s breathe. Let’s enjoy the calm and quiet. We’ll clean up later. We’ll get back to work, prepare our resolutions, and make 2022 the best year yet - later. For now, let’s bask in the blinking Christmas lights and the warmth of the family that could join us. For now, let’s rest in the awesome Hope that a Savior born over 2000 years ago still walks with us through the storms and in the calm. For now, let’s simply enjoy the moment we’re in.

From my happy spot to yours, “Happy Day After!”