By: Gabriela Yareliz
So, this weekend was great. Sabbath was lovely, and then after church we went out with some families from the church, ate, and walked around the festival of lights display at the North Florida Regional Hospital. It was magical. Lots of lights and sparkly things- music and young people hand-in-hand having some romantic night out and snapping photos of each other holding candy canes which I am sure will later make an appearance on Facebook.
The weather was really nice. I had my Spain sweater on, and I was a bit of an idiot because I had a racerback under it so I did get a bit cold, but that was because of my stupidity. Then, yesterday was the Sounds of the Seasons celebration concert at The Philips Center. It was hosted by Bernie Machen (UF pres) and he wrote a killer poem including “anthopology-loving” Rick Scott. It was awesome. I was thrilled. The music was divine and the conductors are truly maestros.
While at work, my brothers assembled the Christmas tree (something I was not in the mood to help out with this year), and it looks beautiful.
This weekend I was thinking about how excited I would always get for Christmas. I’d play Christmas music in September. I made a list. I decorated my room, complete with tin-foil snowflakes. My American Girl Dolls would be in their special dresses. I would read Richard Paul Evan’s The Christmas Box. I would find eggnog, and eat Turron sent from Abuela in P.R., a nougat dessert originated, I think in Spain.
It was the best time of the year. My Christmas spirit has fluctuated since. I mean, Christmas is the perfect time to remember the people who are missing in your life (familiy members who have left or died). But still, despite my melancholic apathy this year, between my thin racerback in the lit-up night and my orange-ish foundation look yesterday at the Philips Center (I was very upset about this), I somehow found peace, and I did begin to succumb into the Christmas Spirit. The music seduced us all softly into a tranquility and peaceful joy yesterday.
By the way, my foundation is like orange on me now, because in a lapse of two weeks, now that it gets darker so much faster, I’ve gotten pale. I was tan two weeks ago; and now I am white, white, white. As white as olive people can get, you know what I mean.
And so yes…. and this upcoming weekend is going to be amazing. Not only is it “13th Sabbath” and the children will do the program, but I have a special trip I will have to tell you about after the fact. 🙂 This will hopefully include pictures 🙂 Also, I am preparing for a duet in a Christmas song medley at church. The First Noel. I hit notes I didn’t know were humanly possible.
And so this week begins with jolly good tidings 🙂 A law school acceptance letter (number 5) and a design final tonight. Bummer.
But even though I know I must slave over my law final study guide… There is so much to be happy about. God is so good.
“I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive; I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise- to fly “-Nicki Minaj
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
GABRIELA YARELIZ 