I have a great love of list making.  I don’t make them often mind you, and find at the grocery store for example, that I frequently don’t get what I intended to get and spend more money than I intended to spend, so I know the importance of lists, I just don’t implement the action.  I like the idea and the order and organization of them mostly.  I don’t make To-Do lists really either about the house, but do make them for new jobs or new customers.  I think I like the mental challenge of having to remember stuff.

Three little girls, about a month ago, sat down in the living room with all the toy and store flyers from the Sunday paper and went about making lists for Santa.  The littlest wee-one pointed out what she wanted while the other two took notes.  I don’t really think they want all of what they asked for, but I think they liked the idea of wanting.

I’ve often said and wrote that I can truly, honestly, count on one hand the number of things I want and don’t have.  I feel pretty lucky.  I’m quite fond of giving, more than getting, and find that making somebody else happy or bringing joy to another is far more rewarding.  That whole “peace on earth, good will to men” concept is so beautiful to me…be kind, be a friend, try to right your wrongs, all of that “feel good” stuff is all that is on my “list.”  I just want to be a better person, a better friend, better daughter, mother, Nana, sister, neighbor, worker, you know, just be better than maybe I was last year, or yesterday for that matter.  I’d like to eat healthier and exercise more and drink less vodka.  I’d like to appreciate the sound of my neighbor’s deranged rooster more, savor the magic orange sky to my west every night after work, marvel at the lavender clouds to my east more often when I awake each day, smile at the drummer boy and hug the wee-ones more.  What I want can’t be bought.

Santa can’t bring me anything that is on my list, it is just my own obligation to myself, and I’d like very much to think that on Christmas morning when I hear the squeals and laughter of three little wee-ones sitting on the floor in front of my tree, tearing apart all the holiday wrapping, those sounds and smiles will be my cue that it’s time to get on with the business of checking off my list.