Witchvox Article

Author: Devon, The Maid Of Epona
Posted: December 21st. 2008
Times Viewed: 2,352

This Christmas 2008 has found me in a different state of affairs like many other people. Through no fault of my own, I was forced to leave a job I had done well for six years and loved. I am now caught in a situation that may be familiar to many people in this economy. I have a job well beneath my abilities that doesn�t work me enough nor pay me enough to meet my financial requirements. I find myself having to rely on my husband�s paycheck more than necessary and more time on my hands than I am used to having.

Being caught in this situation, I have sent the word out to my family and loved ones that I will be buying NO Christmas gifts for anyone this year. The ready cash just isn�t there. Having more time than I am comfortable with has given me an opportunity to do some heavy pondering on my situation.

I find I am grateful for things I normally would take for granted. I am grateful for my husband and that while this economy has increased our stress, it has not threatened our relationship more than normal. He still comes home to me every night we still do things together. (Now with him footing the bill all the time!) We still talk, share and love each other. I am grateful and count myself lucky for that.

I am grateful that we own our own house and property. The mortgage gets paid and we are not in danger of losing our home. No worries there.

I am grateful we own our own land because that means we do not have to pay a boarding fee for our three horses. Believe me there is no money for that right now! I am grateful that our horses are' an economy breed', the kind that stay fat on little grain and hay. If we had to board, we would probably find ourselves in the situation of having to sell them and the horse business was bad before the economy began its downward spiral! You can�t give a good horse away right now and the all rescues are full. Neither of us is interested in getting rid of any of our guys!

I am grateful we own property with lots of woods. That is because we have a woodstove and if I do not want to turn on the electric heat in the house, (which we would have to pay for) we just drive the pickup out to the paddock and fill up on the wood my husband cuts during the winter to make the paddock safe for the horses. A cord of hardwood is free to us and there is plenty of it as long as you don�t mind doing the work yourself.

The fridge has food in it. Yes, its a little less than normal but there�s only two of us and the local hunter gives us venison because most hunters usually have too much. Deer meat is a treat to us!

So all in all, lets see. I have a roof over my head, own my own place and have food in the fridge and some meat in the freezer. I really am rich!

So what do I want for Christmas? I don�t want the latest video game, or the snazziest shoes in the world. I don�t want an expensive handbag, (I never use them!) or a big screen T.V. or an expensive string of diamonds. (I can�t stand diamonds anyway!)

What I want for Christmas is real things!

Maybe I should explain this better.

I want this economy to turn around and for everyone to have a job that pays him or her well doing something that gives him or her a sense of accomplishment. I want the soldiers to come back home to their families safe and sound. I want their experiences overseas not to affect them in negative ways but only in ways that will inspire them to benefit their families, their friends and their communities. I want us to appreciate our veterans more and tell them that. I want people, young and old, to stop bullying those that are different than they.

I want people to realize that our differences in race, culture or religion are what make us strong, not weak. I want people to realize that freedom of religion means that you do not have to be Christian to be accepted. I wish religion to stop being what drives us apart and start being what pulls us together. I wish that no one would be rejected for his or her religion or his or her choice of lifestyle.

I want people to see the wealth and richness in the way a person lives his or her life and not in what they keep in their wallet or bank account. I want each and every person to live a full life, always growing and learning, always progressing in their own individual way. I want people to treasure the relationships they have with one another.

I wish hatred would become an extinct emotion and racism to never have been in the first place. I wish every animal we choose to share our lives with, to be not only loved but also cared for by responsible people and the funds always to be there to do this. I wish there to be no unwanted children or animals in this world. I wish abuse in all its forms would die and understanding to grow and flourish in its place.

I wish people would give more to those that have none. I wish people would stop trying to prove their love to others by purchasing things and show their love with their actions. I wish people would stop assuming loved ones know they care and start saying it to their faces. I wish people would talk more face-to-face, not technology-to-technology. I wish people would say please and thank you more and really mean it!

I wish everyone; everywhere would stop complaining about the negative and focus more on the positive things in their lives. I wish we would appreciate our parents more and tell them that while we still have the time to do so. I wish everyone would stop for one minute every day to notice nature�s many blessings instead of driving past it thinking of all the things we have yet to complete on that day�s �to do� list. I wish we would make time for what is really important to us in our lives.

Is this really all so difficult? It should be the easiest thing in the world. It should already be the way we live our lives.

Maybe, if we were to do all that, or at least attempt to do some of that, maybe then we really would have peace on earth and good will to all.

That is what I wish to have for Christmas. No pressure though. You all have the rest of your lives to accomplish this!

ABOUT...

Devon, The Maid Of Epona

Location: New Park, Pennsylvania

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