Rachel Matos

My son was on LA time, so during my stay I hung out by the fire during the mornings to sip on my coffee while watching the Today Show talk about the Thanksgiving parade, the impending snowstorm that was coming our way and the Time Square holiday prep. We had so much catching up to do, and it was obvious my son really needed and wanted downtime with family – playing videos, eating food he can’t typically get in LA, watching movies and talking. Don’t get me wrong, I love where I live, but raising a child in Cali with a New York state of mind has been a bit confusing for my son and equally perplexing to me because my child rearing perspective has not only been inspired by upbringing in NYC but is also seeped in Caribbean culture, which isn’t very prevalent in Los Angeles. and I dove deep into conversations, my mother and stepdad were living their best life in Dobbs Ferry, zipping up and down from Manhattan to upstate to see the snow, eat dinners and explore.

Because, truth be told… I won’t get into the nitty gritty of it all but let’s just say I’m the mom of a young adult, the daughter of aging parents, the owner of a business and…ugh…in the midst of peri-menopause. What made it even tougher is that I had to come to terms with a lot of things about my own thought patterns and ways of communicating that were no longer working. Without my usual “I can fix this” toolbox, I was forced to sit back and listen, and view a very hurtful situation through a lens of compassion and patience, which was not easy for me. I feel like I’ve moved up the wisdom ladder and would like to stay here and enjoy the view for a while.

Just when Posie got comfortable being the baby of the house, my son calls me frantic about the kitten’s half-brother (from the same litter, which I didn’t know was possible). When I got back home, we went through the whole process again of slowly introducing another fur baby to the adult cats and using PetArmor to make sure he was safe. Cleaning the litter daily, making sure they’re eating the right food and properly hydrated since they’re not natural water drinkers, keeping up with vet appointments, and making sure their fur is clear of fleas and ticks even if they’re indoor cats (believe it or not, guests can carry them into your house! ). If you’re bringing new cats into the home, it’s a must-have along with making sure you create loving environment for your fur babies.

I shared that my health was better, my son is in college, my relationship is great and that my business did well in its first year. When my fiancé got home, we went out to dinner and stopped by the Riverside Festival of Lights to have a drink and see the decorations. Following all of the tips I received from Wescom (a Southern California financial institution and Festival of Lights, Riverside sponsor) so far, I’m going to make this a reality by writing down my long-term and short-term goals once the holiday season is over. If you’re in southern California and looking for some holiday sparkle and magic, I highly suggest you stop the Festival of Lights with your family.