Can you believe that Christmas is this week?
I sure can’t. It is like the holiday sneaked up on us and we are too confused by the warm weather to really get in the Christmas spirit.
This week is a time for celebration. For some, it is the biggest week of the year for their children — for parents to buy presents to place under the tree from Santa. For others, it is quality time to spend with family and celebrate church events.
Whether this season is mainly for you or for your children, I think we are missing a big opportunity. This week should not only be about time away from work to spend with our loved ones, but it should be a time of looking back to see how far we have come throughout the year.
Some may have suffered the loss of a loved one or a pet. Reflect on how that made you feel at first and then how you grew to withstand that heartache. I bet it wasn’t easy, and you should be proud of overcoming that.
Did you work hard and get a promotion? Remember that emotion of finally getting rewarded for all of your hard work.
Some could have gone through a big change in life, such as a marriage, divorce or birth of a child.
In some way, shape or form, those big events changed your life for the better and probably taught you patience, courage and confidence. Don’t forget about how strong you are after this year.
We should all remember the moments that made 2015 for each of us, and we should take pride in all that we accomplished.

Hannah Davis is the editor of The Charlotte Gazette. She can be reached at hannah.davis@th