‘Tis the season of lists. Lists of things to do before the holidays. Lists of things we want to accomplish in the new year. And of course Christmas lists – both of the naughty or nice variety and of course the list for gifts.
It is worth noting that people were writing lists before they were writing stories or even sentences. They were among the very first forms of writing and were used for educational purposes and then for commerce.
The first Christmas list didn’t pop up until the late 1800’s with the rise of toys and more commercial holidays.
There is value in list making. The simple act of moving something from your mind to a list, lightens your cognitive load. At the same time, most lists have a future bias – waiting for our attention – perhaps adding to our anxieties. Of course, old lists serve as artifacts representing what we wanted to do or valued at a given point in time.
But what of a present list. Not a list of presents but a list of things we have or feel right now. Not of things we want or that are waiting to be tackled but items squarely in our possession. A list of people we are grateful for. A list of accomplishments we are proud of. A list of beautiful things that we can see. A list of things that make us laugh or cry or smile. These lists, seldom made, ground us in the here and now.
Of course they need not be written down, just acknowledged within our mind. They need not be long either. Considering two or three things you feel just so damn lucky for right now will likely bring an instant smile or change in demeanor.
Finally, consider this. At the top of my standard “to-do list” is a reminder to myself of how “to be” – kind and patient towards both myself and others. Preceding an often daunting catalog of wants and wishes, it serves as a reminder that what follows is secondary to how we treat and care for one another.
Recommendation of the Week: If you’re looking to cross off a few things on your holiday list, I humbly suggest that you support this author 🙂 As a bonus, any support would be a gift to me as well as Christmas is my birthday.
For the grown ups in your life, give them a gift subscription to this Moving Up Mondays Substack. You can customize with a note and preferred start date after the holidays.
For young readers, one stop shopping for all of my children’s books can be found here on my publisher’s website, with available links to your preferred bookseller.
Consider sharing this with someone who is on your list of “people who make you smile” or “people who make you think” or any other list for that matter.