A Cool Yule!

Now is the time of the year to reflect on life's blessings and take stock of all that has happened in the months past. I MUST acknowledge with humble devotion and gratitude that despite all the accompanying downs that are very much a part of life, the ups take precedence of all kind! How lucky am I!!! I had a wonderful Christmas with the family and celebrated with utmost joy and thanks, the 14th birthday of the kid. Needless to say, it was a cool Yule, quiet and understated, yet overwhelmingly joyous and merry in its own way!

Though my faith as a Christian runs very strong and leads and sustains me through life's uncharted territory (excuse the cliche), I am definitely not the Bible-toting, regularly church-going, obsessively ritual-following kind of Christian. However, the family and I were extremely pleased to have attended on Christmas eve, a church that is just a stone's throw away from where we live now. The mood at the inter-denominational church was upbeat and festive, the message positive and hopeful, and the celebration truly joyous and uplifting. It was an awesome feeling to walk back home in the cold winter's night, reflecting on the service we had just attended!

Christmas Day being my son's birthday, there is always the wonderful feeling of God having granted us the best gift of all!!! Our son is truly a blessing, but we always have a muted celebration in deference to the birth of the Christ Child. Dinesh usually has a party in advance and so had his friends come over last weekend for endless hours of video games and fun. See picture below! On Christmas Day it was just the three of us, with all the attendant calls, of course, from friends and family to wish him well. Surprisingly, he did not have a wish list of gifts this year, which is quite unusual for a 14-year-old. His explanation: " I'm a more mature person now. I have developed morally...!" I just couldn't believe my ears...bah, the words of wisdom from the mouths of babes!!!


What with the lamb biriyani, chilli chicken, uppu kari (mutton fry), and onion and cucumber salad, accompanied by the requisite celebratory red wine and simple presents to each other, it was a day of gaiety and mirth in the Kanna household! In retrospect, it was a cool Yule indeed, and I'm truly thankful for all of life's blessings!