rivettingKateTaylor

With Christmas right on the horizon (crikey, not even on the horizon….. try five sleeps!) I thought I would share this poem someone sent me via email today. I have seen and heard it before but given the hectic and stressful pressure most of us thrust upon ourselves at this time of year, I decided to share.

We have had three Christmas parties in the last three nights with completely different feelings.  The first was a semi-catered work do Thomas had been invited to with claybird shooting and a spot of whacking golf balls on the front lawn (I was the only chick to have a go and I didn’t embarrass myself… or Thomas!) .  It was a lovely evening apart from the rain, which no-one dared complain about (or even wanted to… sooooo needed).

The second was on someone’s deck with all the golf ladies and a potluck mishmash of chicken kebabs, ham and 20 different salads washed down with a slice of pavlova, a chocolate eclair and too many sauvignon blancs; followed by a wonderfully relaxed community gathering in the local hall (mostly only used twice a year – mid winter Christmas party and the real Christmas party) complete with Santa Claus and macintosh’s toffees. (mmm egg and cream flavour – the wrapping was orange though, could have sworn it used to be yellow? And silly Santa, fancy putting the wrong names on the Taylors parcels. Lachlan’s face was priceless when he thought Santa had given him a headband and a pink fairy wand 🙂 ) 

Sarah and I also popped down to the local church Christmas carols.

Amongst it all, we are trying to finish work and pack up ready to head to the South Island tomorrow.  I love it when people ask where I’m going for Christmas and I say “Gorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre”. We’re actually going to Tapanui but it doesn’t have quite the same effect!

Here’s the poem. My advice? Don’t just read it. Take the advice.

Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down. Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won’t last.

Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask “How are you?”
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You’d better slow down. Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won’t last.

Ever told your child, we’ll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste, Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say, ‘Hi’
You better slow down. Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won’t last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift….thrown away.
Life is not a race.

Do take it slower.

Hear the music…

Before the song is over.