It’s an absolutely wonderful life

I’m sitting here in an old 1866-built humble Hoosier heartland homestead farmhouse on Christmas Day evening, reflecting.

Yes, gifts were indeed exchanged. But, for me, each passing year seems to drive the point home more and more, that it’s just not about that.

I’ve accumulated a lifetime of stuff.

I could build closets and additional storage buildings to stockpile it and would need to build more.

The fridge and freezers are full.

There are three cars in the driveway.

All of this is truly wonderful.

However, none of it is what makes a truly wonderful life.

What has made this year truly wondrous for me has been the relatively recent reconnection with some of my old U.S. Navy colleagues through the magic of social media.

And the ability to see four grandsons all making their own way in life and all four being fine young men who fill me with pride and wonder at what and who they’ve become in their lives. They are lives that I have been both honored and privileged to be a part of since the day each was born.

The youngest is a teenager and the oldest turns 31 here in mere weeks. Where did the time go?

Then, there’s the added blessing of holding a precious little great granddaughter on Saturday and being with her three brothers. Yep, I have four great-grandkids already.

I just watched the original “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” on NBC this evening, followed by the classic year-2000 version with Jim Carrey.

Of course, we all know at the end he grows a heart three sizes bigger and does the right thing.

This evening, in a now-quiet house, I have a heart that’s overflowing with blessings and plenty.

I’m a better man for it.

And if I, like the Grinch, could steal all of your Christmases and then redeem myself in the end, by returning them, I would happily bless all with a tenfold blessing, were it within my ability to do so.

Officially, Christmas is over.

It’s time to move on.

It’s cliche to say it, but, for me, it’s an absolutely wonderful life.

A wonderful life indeed.