A Note from a Mother

“My children ask each year the same question. After thinking about it, I decided I’d give them my real answer:
What do I want for Christmas? I want you. I want you to keep coming around. I want you to ask me questions, ask my advice, tell me your problems, ask for my opinion, ask for my help. I want you to come over and rant about your problems, rant about life, whatever. Tell me about your job, your worries, your kids, your fur babies. I want you to continue sharing your life with me. Come over and laugh with me, or laugh at me, I don’t care. Hearing you laugh is music to me.
I spent the better part of my life raising you the best way I knew how, and I’m not bragging, but I did a pretty darn good job. Now, give me time to sit back and admire my work, I’m pretty proud of it.
I want you to spend your money making a better life for you and your family, I have the things I need. I want to see you happy and healthy. When you ask me what I want for Christmas, I say “nothing” because you’ve already been giving me my gift all year. I want you.”

I ask my mom the question “What do you want for Christmas?” every single year. And every single year she answers the same thing, “A clean house and well behaved children”. This year however, she started to say that but then sent me the note that I have posted above.

Now, I’m not sure if she wrote it herself, if she saw it somewhere and copied it to send to me, but it got me thinking…

How many people out there don’t have someone this Christmas? How many parents who have kids who ran away from home? How many parents have lost their child due to illness or some other tragedy? How many kids lost their parents to illness or age? How many friends have someone missing from their life?

Before we all get entitled saying “I want! I want!” Take a look around and see what you have. The friends and family and the stuff that already fills our homes. Be grateful for those you have around you. Cherish the time you have with your loved ones. Be willing to say to your friends and family “All I want for Christmas is you”

Image from Lovethispic.com