Two Days Before Christmas

Two days before Christmas,
we were out picking up a few last-minute gifts.

Shopping center to shopping center.
Good areas. Familiar places.

And somewhere between parking lots,
we started talking about how much the world has changed.

So many empty storefronts.
Not rundown areas. Not forgotten places.
Nice locations that once stayed full.

Twenty-five years ago, these centers would have been packed.
Every space occupied.
Shoppers everywhere.
Energy in the air.

Now it feels different.

Some places are still busy.
A few big stores still draw crowds.

But so much of everything else feels thin.
Transitional.
Like something is passing through rather than staying.

Most of life now happens without us having to slow down.
Without us having to show up much at all.

We choose speed.
We choose ease.
We choose delivery over discovery.

It works.
It’s efficient.

But walking through those spaces made me wonder what we’re losing along the way.

The feel of something in your hands.
The weight of a decision.
The pause before choosing.

Progress always gives us something.
But it usually asks for something in return.

Some things still ask for time.
For attention.
For us to slow down enough to notice what’s already there.

Maybe it’s time we push back against convenience.
Not always.
But sometimes.

Sometimes we make the drive.
Sometimes we walk the walk.
Sometimes we show up instead of ordering around it.

Because not everything meaningful
will magically show up at our door.

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If this resonated, I hope you’ll share it with someone who might need the reminder today.

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