A European Adventure
December 25th, 2019
Charlottenburg Christmas Market
A few weeks ago I sat down to reflect on the past year and remember how far we’ve come over the last 12 months. As Christmas approached in 2018 we had just finished our arguably most tumultuous year. We moved halfway around the world from California for a job that didn’t come to fruition - it was stressful to say the least. We were far too fatigued by the time December rolled around to understand we were stronger for what 2018 had to thrown at us. We were just happy to have a break from it all.
This year wasn’t tumultuous but it was about understanding what we wanted out of our European experience. We carried a lot of unnecessary baggage into 2019 that has only begun to fade away as this holiday season approached. We started to shed the things that weren’t helping us on our path forward any longer. It wasn’t until I returned from Corsica that I finally had enough perspective to understand and process the past two years. This path might not have been the one we intended but the destination and importance of the experiences remain the same.
At the start of the holiday season I was laser focused on making this one our best yet. And then one of those moments happened that makes you second guess the agnostic nature of the universe. My phone vibrated with a “Photo Memory” of Christmas Eve over the years. As I unlocked my screen a series of emotions came rushing back. I was greeted with countless images of Logan and Doreen over the past 5 years playing under the tree, at the Christmas Markets, sitting on Santa’s lap, attending Christmas parties and generally enjoying the holiday season. No matter what was happening in our lives we have always enjoyed this time of year. As Logan has gotten older it’s only gotten more special.
In that moment, past and present Christmas was the same thing. The themes were the same in Germany and California. The smiles and laughter looked identical year after year. The feelings and emotions were the same. The spirit of Christmas was identical no matter where we were in the world, or what we had experienced in the year leading up. From the beaches of Southern California to a little farm in the Central Coast to a contemporary flat in the heart of Berlin, the spirit was identical. Sure, the trees and decorations were different, and the activities all carried their individual special memories, but the essence had not changed years.
Memories brought clarity as they often do. Our family was the calm, an unwavering nucleus in the storm of life. We could choose to absorb the tumultuous storm around us or we could choose to seek solace in what we have and who we are.
This holiday season has been a breath of fresh air. We have spent the past 5 years building our lives as a family and the previous 10 building the foundation that would support where we are today. This Christmas season has been great because we are together, experiencing it as a family - no planning needed. We chose to not let any outside forces define us. We choose to be happy and joyful. We chose to enjoy the season and because we choose to do so every day we have had a most enjoyable time together this Christmas.
There’s nothing unique or extraordinary about our story. We just choose to let it unfold and enjoy what we can along the way. We hope this season brings you as much peace as it’s brought us.
Enjoy some photos of our holiday season as we wish you and yours a wonderful and Happy Christmas!
Until Next Time,
The McNeills