Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes

A week today, it’ll be Christmas, a time of good cheer.  Well, that’s the propaganda anyway.  But, before you start comparing me to Scrooge, let me reassure you that I love Christmas.  Sometimes, though, expectations can get in the way of our enjoyment.  Fortunately, I had an experience quite early in life that helped me see things a little differently.

When I was 13, I spent Christmas with my dad for the first time in 4 years.  I should say that the flat my dad lived in was pretty grotty.  It was all on one level and had big rooms with high ceilings.  The flat’s layout meant it was very well spread out, and it was all heated by a single gas fire.  This wasn’t a great place to stay in the middle of winter.

But it didn’t matter because I got to spend Christmas with my dad.

In my lifetime, there’s always…