So This Is Christmas

“A city becomes a world when one loves one of its inhabitants.”  -Lawrence Durrell

However, when you have a big family and lots of amazing friends all over the world, one city doesn’t cut it…

I MISS MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS SO MUCH!  I try to justify my present lifestyle and think that there isn’t one single place where all these wonderful people live.  So what am I supposed to do?  Well, there is Christmas.  One of the times where a majority of these people are found in one place.  So, why am I spending Christmas away?  I have no idea.  There has to be a reason for it.  I just know it!

Who am I kidding?  The Great Wall could never compare to my crazy family parties and reunions at The Libertine with old friends.  Food, dancing, singing, and St. Louis snow (the only other place besides the farm I would see snow at Christmas.)

This year, my Christmas Eve consisted of bad Chinese food (yes, even in CHINA), a Pierce Brosnan James Bond movie (my least favorite), and a cold from the horrific pollution that consumes this country.

Woah.  Am I complaining?  Maybe just a little bit but soon after the embarrassment of fretting do I realize how lucky I really am.

Christmas at the Intercontinental in Suzhou, China…not too bad.  And yes, that is a bathtub in the background.

Ok, in all seriousness…

This time of year reminds me to celebrate all the amazing people in my life and all the love I have found in this world.  My good friend Joy says that all of our relationships are sacred contracts in our lifetime.  We are all here to share something with one another.

Even though I miss my family and friends (A LOT), at least I have my travel companion to share this Christmas with.  This companion is one contract I know I will never lose because when you share new experiences, especially in the form of travel, you cannot help but grow simultaneously.  Maybe not in the same way or direction but some kind of growth is inevitable and that makes the memories stronger.

So this Christmas, I think about my family and my friends in all of their places all over the world and am grateful for having memories of the wonderful times spent together.  I know there are more times to come and more memories to be made.

Even though I long to be with my amazing family, Durrell’s quote did remind me that there is love to be found all over the world.  I have been so lucky to have seen it in every place I’ve been.  An incredible example of this is my cousin Zoe who is from this country.  She has brought so much love and light into my family and she was born thousands of miles from where she lives now!

Well, it’s 5am here and I am exhausted.  After our truly bad Christmas Eve dinner and during Die Another Day, fireworks went off right outside the window.  The fireworks and an ice cream shop we found made up for everything…It really is all about the simple things.

Have an amazing Christmas and be grateful if you are lucky enough to spend it with your family and friends.  I am excited to skype with my family in the next few hours.  Thank God for skype!