May All Your Christmases Be Bright…
Today the Holiday Music Bracket officially started at my work. My friend Dave and I put it together, using suggestions from our co-workers. For the first round, we had a little fun with the match-ups, pitting songs against each other that created some kind of theme. We had one battle royale of “A Very Motown Christmas,” which had Otis Redding vs The Drifter’s version of “White Christmas.”
I had picked the Drifters since that’s been a long-standing favorite of mine, but the more I listen to this version, the more I love it. Otis Redding has been one of my favorite artists since I can remember–his music is just so powerful, bittersweet, and soothing all at the same time. I love how the Drifter’s rendition of this song is so hopeful, fun, and upbeat, but the mix of emotions that Otis’s version stirs makes it almost haunting.
This was a good fit for yesterday, too, since it was a bit of a stressful day, albeit it an enjoyable one. The energy level is still pretty high at the office–between the constant stream of sugar in our bloodstreams from all the client gift baskets and baked goods pouring in, along with various holiday and work fun activities going on. But there are still stresses–work is pretty busy this week, and there are still many bittersweet reminders that one of our coworkers is gone.
I’m also a bit freaked out about a project I’m currently working on–one of my first paying gigs–which I’m SUPER stoked about, but I’m also a bit nervous about the extra exposure, since the story is about my mom and our story. There’s just a lot of emotions that go into writing about it, and even though this is a very public forum (obviously), I feel like this outlet will be providing me with a larger audience with whom to share it with. That is, of course, awesome and incredible, but it’s a little daunting, and I’m just trying to strike the right balance between giving an honest and candid view into our lives and our story, while still being mindful of how hard that might be to process for those of us who are living it every day. I’m not particularly religious, or always much of a prayer, but I’ve been finding myself asking for grace more and more–grace in my daily interactions, in how I handle myself, and in how I approach topics in my writing. For so long, patience has been the name of my game–trying to slow down, trying to take things as they come, trying to accept that all of the answers are not always as readily available as we like–and although that’s still a big theme in my life, I’m proud of my progress with that one.
So, now I”m seeking grace, and I’m hoping it comes in enough time to write a damn good article that I can feel proud about while still doing right by my mom and all those involved. Wish me luck with that (and suggestions on how to achieve that are always welcome :-)).
But, regardless of my apprehensions, I am hopeful. Because where are we without hope.
Right, Otis?
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