"Don't you sometimes feel that this is the kind of life we were meant to live on this earth? Everything we need, everything, right here, right at our fingertips. You know, if only people could have all this and be satisfied, I don't think there'd be any real problems in the world." -Father, Swiss Family Robinson
I finally gave in this year and copied everyone else: I wrote a generic "Holiday Letter" to send out to family and friends. Up until this year I've hand written a personal letter inside every card I send out. This year, I got
Writing an annual letter requires you to think back over the past year, reflect on all you've done and enjoyed and accomplished, so that you can share those things with the ones you love. It didn't take too many minutes of sitting in front of a blank Microsoft Word screen for me to realize how boring my life is. We went camping. I taught school. Chloe collected bugs. Cora likes dolls. Andrew hunted. I grew food. Merry Christmas.
Life here at our place really is pretty dull. No, that's not true, it's not dull. It's perfectly interesting. It's just that is so.... simple. And truly, I like it that way. We may not have done a whole year's worth of fantastic and exciting things, but we stay busy. We learn, we laugh, we love, and we're all very happy. But it doesn't sound like much to write it all in a once-yearly letter to friends and family that we don't stay in very good touch with.
2 comments:
I really enjoy reading your blog. You have the cutest girls, and I love reading about their antics. You do such fun things with them...
Diane
Funny that you should mention this. I have a hard time with this every year. I've been doing a holiday letter for the past few years, and each year I struggle with the concept. Honestly, I really try to keep my letters funny and light, telling a little snapshot of what's going on. They're really more self-deprecating than anything else. I Personally have only received holiday letters from 3 people. 2 are annoying and I find the letters annoying and their family photos annoying - but I guess it's because they're really shallow braggart people. The other I like and I like her letters and photos. I struggle because I ultimately do have a really fortunate and happy life. The simple family life is great. I worry sometimes that the letter will "rub it in" in the faces of all the family members who are divorced or just not as fortunate. I mean, I guess it's not reasonable to be expected to hide your happiness and gratitude, but I don't know. Oh well. They're done, stamped and about to be mailed out. Who cares. (this is how I end up reconciling this issue every year!)
Do you receive holiday letters? What do you think of them?
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