It’s important to appreciate holiday decorations.
This simple thought came to me yesterday as I realized it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Madrid. The city decorated for Christmas two and a half weeks ago. Yesterday, sitting in a cab and practicing my slow breathing, I finally noticed.
There are lights up on all the major streets, massive fake trees up in all the plazas, and hordes of slow-walking Spanish old ladies strolling arm-in-arm on every sidewalk. But I’ve been so busy at work, I never looked up to appreciate it all.
Bad choice.
Holiday decorations are almost meditative in their quiet beauty. (I think it has something to do with the lights.) But, like all meditative things, you have to stop and take the time to appreciate them. Otherwise, they just pass by in a peripheral blur as you focus on side-stepping slow old ladies and trying not to say mean things about them in your head. Or out loud.
Maybe the slow-moving Spanish ladies have the right idea. Next time I’m walking down the street I’m going to leave my worries behind and take the time to look up. I’m excited to find some peace in the holiday season. Decorative holiday photos below from the places I will be spending the Christmas season.
