From the Editor: Our Pauses

Each month in this column I select a word to center my thoughts around. Last month the word was enough and the thought was that if we have enough it is incumbent on us to share with others. As the holiday season continues to roll, this is a thought to hold on to and in these pages you will find numerous opportunities to engage with your community and give to others. Notably, The Broomfield Community Foundation’s Annual Campaign is still underway and is a great place to donate with benefits that will ripple throughout Broomfield. You can donate quickly and easily at https://www. broomfieldfoundation.org/.

In November I had a somewhat serious health scare. One that stopped me cleanly and abruptly in my tracks for a few weeks. I am fine and I will be fine, but it was a moment of clarity cloaked in haze. The life we build can sometimes take over. And we become consumed by the entries on the calendar and what’s next. Can you relate?

So I am thinking about this generally in how I live day to day and I am thinking of it specifically as I continue to recover and prepare to enjoy the holiday season with loved ones.

We know it. We say it. But do we live it? Christmas is not about the prettiest tree or the fanciest lights. It is not about the most elaborate gifts or the most expensive meal. It is about time, love, community, tradition, and the loved ones around us. It is about helping someone in need. I don’t mean to write this hypocritically in this particular issue - our annual food and gift guide - because the season is also about giving (see paragraph one), and that is about gifts, but as you embark on your holiday activities, I invite you to pause with me - reflectively and intentionally.

Maybe you can do less. Maybe you can spend less. Maybe you can engage more. Broomfield offers numerous opportunities to meet and join with friends and neighbors in music and celebration. Check out our calendar for some ideas. Patronize a local restaurant with someone dear or with a lonely neighbor. You don’t have to do it all. Choose a few things that matter. Make a few things really matter this season. Embrace the season, but with a pause.

Merry Christmas and thanks for reading,

Tina Eichner, Editor & Publisher