Santa left me a wondrous gift this morning, permission to spend time with you, my dearest Internet friends. It is a gift that has been seven full weeks (to the day) in coming, a gift that comes with strings requiring continued real attention to "the big things" on my list, but it is the most treasured of the gifts I'll be receiving this day nonetheless. It is good to be back, even if on a bit of a time diet.

Please accept a most joyful post honoring each and every one of you: have the Merriest of Christmases; treasure your family for they are an ever growing gift; treasure your friends, and especially the oldest ones, for they are but temporary ornaments on the Christmas tree of your lives; hoist a cup of cheer in our collective ndnation honor; and look forward to 2023 with optimism and excitement.

Thank you for reminding me of the important things. Sometimes we take things for granted and we don’t realize it until it is too late.