The Holidays Have Passed!

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m just as happy to see the holidays in the past as I was eager to see them arrive. I like the excitement around the holidays, but after a while the excitement tends to turn to anxiety in many people, and they get testy. I think it’s the crowds or the family, too many days off in a row, cabin fever, who knows. I also think it has to do with obligations: to invite people over, make extra fattening baked goods to hand out, and maybe it even has something to do with all that insane and often boring television that penetrates the holidays with nothing but parades, sports, and old programming—if you’re not interested in parades or sports.
Whatever the issue, once the holidays have passed, I feel I can relax again. My world goes back to normal when it comes to having my weekends to myself, exercising to lose the extra weight I gained, and a return to some regular programming. The Christmas movies are gone by now, and the feelings of responsibility have waned. I can take down the Christmas tree and put the living room back in order. My days go back to a more regular fluidity of writing, reading, and marketing. I like that order of things.
Most of the time…
Order is great when I’m getting my work done, but every once in a while, I stir the pot myself. I take a day to hike through the woods. Head out of town for a conference. Break for a long lunch. The difference between the holidays and their shifting of my routine versus my regular days and my shifting my routine is the fact that I’m in control. I only have to change things when I want to, or when I feel the need. Plus, there is no obligation to do what I’m “supposed” to do.
Maybe control isn’t even the right word. Perhaps a more correct word to use is inspired. I like to be inspired to take a long lunch or a day off, rather than it being expected of me. The inspiration often goes with quiet and alone time, too, rather than the loud and together time expected of me during holidays. And so maybe it all comes down to the fact that I’m a bit of an introvert and like to be alone. Yeah, maybe that’s it, because I still think of the holidays as happy times.
* *
* * Terry Persun holds a Bachelor’s of Science as well as an MA in Creative Writing. He has worked as an engineer, has been the Editor-in-Chief of several technology journals, and is now marketing consultant for technical and manufacturing companies. Seven of his novels have been published. His science fiction novel Cathedral of Dreamswon a ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Finalist Award, and his historical novel, Sweet Song won a Silver IPPY Award. His latest science fiction space opera is Hear No Evil.