Joyous Christmas

Winter has officially arrived in the city, my friends. Every day I emerge from my room with a jacket, a scarf wrapped tightly around my neck, and a big fluffy hat on my head. I don't care how ridiculous I look- It's cold, y'all! Of course, scarves are a much more common occurrence up here; in fact, you might be an outsider if you didn't wear a scarf this time of year. Still. That long piece of cloth I'm wrapping around my neck feels a bit alien to me. It's become a true friend, though.

There's more than just cold to herald the season of joy, though; Christmas is in the air everywhere! This morning I walked onto the street to find hundreds of Santa Clauses running around and chanting and dancing (I even saw one holding up a sign that said "Elves are NOT slaves!!!"). I wish I'd had a camera with me. It was a joyous sight, the Santas' irrepressible joy spreading infectiously to everyone around them. I mean everyone too: I have never seen Midtown so crowded as it has become over the past few weeks. Everyone rushing into the big city to do their Christmas shopping, take in the sights. I can't really blame them. The window displays alone are worth it.

Still, it hasn't been all fun and games. Contrary to popular belief, we actually do work at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and lately I've been making myself slack off as little as possible. It hasn't been the all-around easiest time of the year, either. For the first time, I've gone through some really bad mood days... you know those ones. They're yuck. But I try not to let those days happen. When they do, I find the simplest and most effective thing to do is take one step back and remember just how many innumerable things I have to be thankful for. It's pretty easy to dispel those bad moods then.

There's no denying that this has been emotional year for me- it would be a bit weird if it hadn't been. I mean, I left home for the first time and moved to a place so completely different from anything I've ever known that sometimes it still pleasantly surprises me that I actually live here. Sometimes I lie in my bed at night and I cry, but for what is probably the first time in my life I can say that those are tears of joy, not sadness. Joy, overflowing from within me. Joy at all the amazing miracles that have been given to me in my life. When was the last time you stepped back and took a look at all the things God has done for you in your life? You might just find yourself tearing up too.

And what better time to be joyous? IT'S CHRISTMAS! This is the most magical time of the year. A time for miracles, for joy, for love. A time to believe. It's a time when friends hold each other tight, pretending it's for warmth but really just wanting to hug each other as long as they can. It's a time when there's nothing more comforting than just being with your family. This is the season of hot chocolate, presents, snow, waking up on Christmas morning, Santa Claus, a time for peace and love. It's the celebration of the most joyous, magnificent, mysterious, amazing event ever to happen to this Earth, the birth of the One who gives hope. It's a time to believe. My life is built on belief that there is something more, something divine guiding me. There's no more wonderful time to believe than this time of year. (You know it's a time of miracles when I somehow manage to meet and take a picture with BERNADETTE FREAKIN' PETERS!)

This season is never wasted on me; Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. So remember that! And spread some of that Christmas cheer!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU! Enjoy every minute of it. I'll be seeing a lot of you very soon. :)