moosh in indy.

“Saying someone can’t be sad because someone may have it worse is just like saying someone can’t be happy because someone else might have it better.”

It’s Christmas Eve and there are a lot of sad people out there. There is one in particular, I hope you’re okay.

I am so happy to be home for Christmas.

It snowed today, just enough to cover everything but not enough to really mess stuff up. It’s truly lovely.

My sister got us tickets to see The Nutcracker, even better? We got to go backstage afterwards. I held The Nutcracker and hugged the Sugarplum Fairy, which basically means the eight year old in me was able to live out a giant gingerbread scented dream.

I found myself thinking “Don’t enjoy yourself too much, not everyone is having this much fun on Christmas.”

Not everyone is going to wake up in a warm house with their family tomorrow morning.

I could easily continue thinking about what I have that others don’t and bum myself right out before I even go to bed, worrying about people I don’t know and people I can’t help.

But that’s what I do, I worry about people. I wonder if I could be helping someone more, if I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, if I’m fulfilling my part. The good part is that I feel like I am. I’ve tried to help the people I can help. I could do more, we could all do more. But I’m doing something, that’s what matters.

As we drove to our traditional Christmas Eve dinner tonight I tossed Cody out on a street corner to help a woman in a wheelchair who was stuck in a snowbank. Rather than simply helping her across the street he pushed her five blocks back to her home.

Have you heard about 26 Acts of Kindness? I hate the idea of keeping count, but I understand that’s how some people work. It really only takes one random act of kindness to convert you to the idea of going out of your way to help someone else. Pay it forward. Do unto others.

Kindness is a magnificent trait to posses. “Promote what you love rather than bashing what you hate.”

I love the ballet, I love Christmas, I love my family, I love sleeping babies, I love warm cookies, I love falling asleep in Cody’s arms, I love Sting’s ‘I Saw Three Ships’, I love when I feel like I’m helping people, I love laughing so hard I stop breathing, I love cats, I love twinkling lights, I love Disney movies, I love blue skies, I love donuts with sprinkles, I love hot chocolate with whipped cream, I love naps, I love hugging people, I love being so overwhelmed with happiness I can do nothing but cry, I love really nice headphones, and really comfortable pajamas.

There are so many wonderful tiny little things around us everyday. “The happiest people do not have the best of everything, they make the best of everything they have.”

Those people up there? They’re the very best part of being me.

Merry Christmas. xo

Comments off.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Casey! I hope youand your family have a lovely Christmas.

Merry Christmas Casey!!!! I wish many more gingerbread scented dreams! You make life so beautiful.

LOVE this post! My sentiments exactly…thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Merry Christmas, Casey!

Happy Merry Christmas Casey, Cody, Addie, and little miss Vivi!

Such a beautiful post

Merry Christmas, Casey and your beautiful family! May God bless you in the year to come.

Honestly, witnessing your happiness and your marvelous adventures gives me hope and gives me a little contact happy high.
I am participating in the 26 Acts and I’m loving that so many people have jumped on the kindness bandwagon. I hope that we can all keep it up until it just becomes how we all act all the time.
Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family. xoxo

Thanks so much for your opening quote. I used to have a friend that, whenever I was mad/upset/down would say “at least you’re not in a burn unit, covered with 3rd degree burns!” I *guess* she thought she was putting things in perspective for me, but all she really did was invalidate my pain AND make me feel guilty. Very comforting.

But! That’s not the point you’re trying to make, so I’ll will move along to: Happy Holidays, and much love to your beautiful family! Thank you for being you!!!

Beautifully said! I agree that we should not keep count of our acts of kindness. However, the point of the 26acts is that each act is in honor of each victim of the Shady Hook tragedy….if you read up about it, it doesn’t have anything to do with keeping count. It is a beautiful thing that we should all be promoting not judging. You have so much love and beauty in your life why not use some of it in honor of the 26 lost lives? It’s a beautiful thing!

Casey Reply:
December 27th, 2012 at 12:00 am

@Maria, I do understand the premise behind it, I guess I just believe that random acts of kindness should be a part of everyone’s life regardless of what is going on in the world. It shouldn’t be a trend or hashtag, it should just be second nature (then again I’m a insufferable optimist.)

Merry (belated) Christmas Casey and family! Thank you for all that you do. <3

Oh Merry (Belated) Christmas indeed. I am so happy that you are so happy. I had a wonderful Christmas too. I feel like my perspective on life is changing, that perhaps I’m growing up? And well its kind of lovely. And this, “The happiest people do not have the best of everything, they make the best of everything they have.” I’m trying my best to do that. My very very best.

I just found your blog through Cody’s post on Babble. This post made me cry, and that first line really struck me. I struggle with the same feelings so often – why do I deserve all this when others don’t have it? I shouldn’t ever feel sad / stressed / mad because I have it SO good. I should be doing more to pay these blessings forward.

Anyway, I really enjoyed your post and will look forward to reading more. You have a beautiful family!

Casey Reply:
January 7th, 2013 at 11:40 pm

@Erin, Thank you so much Erin!

Sigh. Love your photos, always.

@Aimee Giese | Greeblemonkey, Thanks mama.