It’s the night before the last day of 2009. It’s raining outside, and I’m cold this evening, with a sore throat. Thank God I took tomorrow off—all I feel like doing is hiding under my electric blanket and staying there for a long, long time.   What a dreary ending to the year. Many people have far worse things to complain about; I have far better things to be thankful for. And I am. But sometimes all the disappointments and unfulfilled expectations of a year pile up in that week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, like a long headache. Feeling unwell—in body or spirit—can steal away one’s hope...

I freely confess it: Coming back to “normal life” after three weeks away has been difficult. More so than I anticipated.   For one, filling my days once again with the necessity of work has been challenging—having to squeeze the basics of living, from exercise to Christmas shopping to cleaning, into evenings and weekends.   For another, my life here at home is so much busier than the simplicity of life in my hometown. Church events, parties, tea with friends and holiday activities mark almost every day on my calendar. I’ve found myself stressed by busyness, upset by unmet expectations and...