Mark Gerard's Therapeutic Massage

I’ve talked to a lot of friends and clients who tell me they just want to “get through” the holidays. They either see December as a torturous ordeal of frenzied mall-hopping and package-shipping, or as a kind of dead zone – a time to isolate themselves from the rest of their lives so they can focus on what seems to be for many the grueling task of giving.

I say stop the madness! Slow down! Certainly, we all need to step back, relax, and “breathe” amidst the holiday scrambling. More than this, though, we need to sharpen our senses a bit so we can appreciate the smaller, everyday moments that bring us joy.

That’s what I love about the lyrics of George Strait’s song The Breath You Take that opens this month’s newsletter. Here’s the entire verse:

"Life’s not the breaths you take
The breathing in and out
That gets you through the day
Ain’t what it’s all about
Ya just might miss the point
If you don’t slow down the pace
Life’s not the breaths you take
But the moments that take your breath away"

Winter in New England, no matter the month, is about that delicate, wispy snowflake that lands on your nose … the clean, bracing air that greets you in the morning … gathering with friends and family around a warm, fireside meal and grasping the wonder and magic that brought you all together to share your lives. Moments like these really do take your breath away, and I hope you’ll sharpen your awareness this season to revel in each and every one of them.