When The Answer Is Right In Front of You

This essay initially appeared in the Monday morning newsletter on 11/18/24.

A morning last week, I was getting ready for work in a hurry.

As I hastily pulled on a pair tights, my nail snagged, and the tights tore all the way up one side.

Ugh. Great.

I started rummaging through my drawer to see if I had another pair when, alas, I discovered I had a brand-new, unopened package of tights. Yay!

I quickly tore open the package and the tights and a card with instructions (?) fell onto my bed. Normally, I wouldn’t have given the instructions a second glance, but since I had just ruined another pair, I took a minute to read them.

I followed the steps and, wouldn’t you know, I got the tights on without any issues.

Later, as I was waiting for the train, I was reflecting on this series of events and thinking about how often the answer we need is right in front of us, if only we slow down enough to recognize it. 

I think this is a good reminder, especially for this time of year.

I LOVE the holiday season. I truly think it is the most wonderful time of year. But, as I heard someone else say once, it is also just the MOST time of year. The most of everything: the most commitments, the most decorations, the most traveling, the most spending… the list goes on.

With all the hustle and bustle, it can be easy to miss or ignore those answers we might need.

Lately, I’ve been oscillating between some extreme emotions of being so happy and also so stressed in the midst of this holiday season, a wedding that is 46 (!) days away, the aftermath of a stressful election cycle, and oh you know, regular work and life commitments.

It’s felt a bit confusing to be honest. I’ve been in a constant state of do-do-do, that when I take a beat to figure out how I’m feeling, I’m not really sure. How should I be feeling?

Once again, an answer came to me and I’m so happy I was paying enough attention to catch it.

As I was cooking dinner Saturday night, I turned on some holiday music for the first time this season, and the first song that played was “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”

As the lyrics go: “Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Let your heart be light.”

I always love that lyric, but this time, it resonated with me on a deep level.

“Let your heart be light.” THAT should be my focus – my anthem – right now. This time is unique and special and wonderful and stressful. I want to experience it all and, yes, let my heart be light.

It doesn’t mean ignoring hard things. But it does mean deciding to approach them differently for the next few weeks. And it means opening myself to all the good that is right here right now.

So, maybe among all the chaos of your week, my friends, pay a bit closer attention. You’ll never know what answers may be just in front of you.  

As always, wishing you a wonderful week ahead!