Christmas Letter… Yo Ho Ho Ho

I’m delighted to share my Christmas letter with you… so many of you are the people who have given me such support. And yes, I include those who keep saying to me, “I haven’t done much.” Each kind word, shared thought, good wish, and humorous comment has lifted my spirits more than you can imagine. Please know that. I know it takes bravery to approach someone dealing with a difficult situation, and you are brave and compassionate sorts, my friends. The letter…

Yo ho Yo ho, Merry Christmas ! !

Ah, tis an unusual Christmas Time of Year this year. As always, when the Spirit of Santa starts sprinkling the magic, I especially notice the good, the gratitude, the love, the magic. (And some chaos, of course!)

The Spirit of Santa starts sprinkling magic on or about December 1st, I believe. That’s how our December 1st tradition of Christmas Storytime got started. This year, with granddaughters, daughters, their husbands in tow, and one other wee very amazing attendee, Baby in Megan’s Belly!!, we read two new Christmas stories all about Pirates!

Of course, why wouldn’t pirates and adventures and magic be ideal at the best of times, and perhaps even more so what with all the talk of Tall Ships as I went through healing from cancer? I know… seriously, how ridiculous, huh? But there it was, and now 10 months, a couple of surgeries, a lot of treatments later, plus my strange visualizations of my body as a Tall Ship being cared for … well, I feel like I’m setting sail once again. Yo ho Yo ho!

What makes this such an unusual Christmas Time of year … writing cards and thinking of all my friends and family always inspires such gratitude… But this year, I’m overwhelmed by how much gratitude I have!

I get teary that the new baby is on the way…and very soon! I get teary at how my little granddaughters and their Mommy made sure I had lots of fun even through the months of treatments. I get teary at Megan’s calling in the troops to make sure I ate well. I get teary at all of my family’s support. So very grateful.
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What I didn’t see coming is the amazing support I’ve also had from precious friends and peers, near and far, and from people I don’t know, and from this crazy wild wondrous community of Kamloops. I tell ya, I choke right up over all of that support that has constantly lifted my spirits, fed my body, helped me financially, made me laugh, (some while they sat with me through chemo!) and encouraged me to get through this particular adventure well. I get teary thinking of the fundraisers and that all those involved would even think to do such a thing for me. And I get teary knowing how much all of the good thoughts and wishes truly make a difference. (All those tears? Happy Tears and Salt water is good for a Tall Ship, I say! Aarrrr!)

I remember when a dear friend went through something similar and I was in awe of the support she had, but I did pause to think that I wouldn’t have such a support system if I’d ever need it. So wrong. Now there’s a belief that everyone can let go of, don’t you think?

I hope my story now is one that makes you smile, a reminder that this world of ours is so full of kick butt amazing people giving unconditionally when others need support. A nice tale to tell at Christmas.

And so, about this unusual overwhelmedness; it’s because I wanted to write individual thank you’s to each and every person, and that could take me a year, and I still get sore joints that won’t let me handwrite so many thank yous.

And so this little letter it is; here with the deepest warmest thoughts sent in appreciation for you, and filled with a whole lotta wild, wondrous, adventurous, magical, and loving wishes for you at Christmas and always. Oh, and a touch of faerie dust, cuz what good pirate doesn’t have a faerie or two?

Yo ho ho ho!!
With Love,
Janet

ps. Yes, the letters came with faerie dust, but hey! Look! There’s snowflakes still on this page!  Imagine it’s faerie dust just for you.