Last week we talked about the importance of finishing the semester out strong. This week, there’s one more thing we’d like to suggest while you’re focused on pushing hard through the finish line. This week, let’s have some fun.

Moffat County School District Jill Hafey likes to remind us to take time to slow down and focus on the moment — to breathe it all in, to indulge in each fleeting opportunity, to be grateful you’re alive in Moffat County. At Christmastime, that’s as important as ever.

Think about this: Maybe you’re 6, maybe you’re 16, maybe you’re 60. It may feel like you’ve got a lot of life left, and by golly we hope you all do. But think about this: If you’re 60 and you’re going to live until you’re 90, you’ve only got 30 Christmases left. If you’re 16, you’ve got a lot more, but maybe you’ve only two or three or five or six more living at home, and let us assure you, Christmas is different when you move out. If you’re 6, maybe you’ve got a dozen more Christmases at home, but maybe you’ve only got a handful until some of the “magic” starts to wear off for you as you get older.

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Life passes you by quicker than you realize. Before you know it, you’re in another stage of life, or your children are, or your grandchildren. Before you know it, it’s all behind us altogether. The beauty of the twinkling lights and the magic of a snowglobe in our front yard, the pine sap in your nose and the frozen hairs in your nostrils, the hustle of a Yampa Avenue shopping trip and the peaceful comfort of a Charlie Brown Christmas on your television — it’s all finite. One day, you’ll move out. One day, they’ll move out. One day, they’ll be gone.

This isn’t to panic you. Not in the least. This is to remind you that, with each passing school year, and each passing year, it’s worth it to stop and smell the pine trees. As critical as the push to grow, to learn, and to accomplish is, it’s just as critical to slow down and enjoy what’s happening right now.

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Christmas is a magical time, and Christmas in Moffat is extra-special. It’s a time to remember those we love, to love those we know, and to care for all we see. This Christmas season in Moffat County Schools, we hope you’ll take a breath of the cold air and try to appreciate each moment of it.

And, of course, for some, the holidays are hard. Find those people, reach out to them, touch them and lift them up. If you are one who struggles this season, let yourself be lifted by others.

There is never a better time to share or to care. And, in spite of the snow and the cold, or maybe because of it, there’s never a better time to be living in Moffat County.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all.