The Christmas season is here. As I look around at all my wonderful neighbors homes (and my own), I see all the lights and sparkles that come with the Joy of the season. Everything looks so beautiful and everyone seems a little lighter and a little happier this time of year.
I sat in my living room looking at all the decorations and thinking to myself how beautiful my Christmas tree looks. Well it looks beautiful to me anyways, there is really no rhyme or reason to it, it's just a hodge podge of decorations from my childhood and some new ones that I've picked up over the years. But I looked at everything sparkling just as it always does in our home every Christmas and I thought of my children and how they always look so forward to Christmas. They love the decorations and the cookies and of course they always look forward to what Santa may bring. This year Christmas has been downsized dramatically in our house, as it has been for many families across the nation. I started to think about the gifts that they are not going to be getting this year. And I once again began to feel sorry for myself (yes, I know this is becoming a habit... I'm blaming the grey weather here in NY!). I started to think about Christmas in a way that a lot of people do, the lights, the tree, the cookies and of course the gifts. I mean really, what mother doesn't want to give her kids the greatest Christmas ever? I thought, wow they are going to be so disappointed and think that Santa forgot to stop at our house. But then it occurred to me that I have been blessed very much this year and I have so much to be glad for. We have a home that's warm and we definitely aren't going hungry (thanks to trip to the commissary last night whose receipt nearly gave me a stroke!). A lot of people don't even have that much, a lot of people are worried how they are going to feed their families Christmas presents aren't even an option for some.
So as I sit here and ponder what this wonderful Christmas season means to me I think about all of those less fortunate. And I think this time of year is a wonderful time to "pay it forward". So today as I start my holiday baking I'm making extra and handing out to all of the neighbors on our block whether I know them or not. Christmas is a time to think of others, to bring joy to someone else! So, after I get done yelling at myself for getting off track and falling into the commercialized trap of Christmas, I'm going to take a mental "walk through Bethlehem" and thank God for all he has done in our lives this year. Then I'm going to see just how many lives I can touch, how many smiles I can help bring, throughout this wonderful season of giving.
I have so much to smile about, I have my children here with me to cuddle and have cocoa on cold nights with me. My wonderful husband is here with us this year, something that makes me very thankful. I have friends whose husbands are not able to be here through the holiday season with them due to serving their country a world away. Next year I'll fall into that category, so even though the presents may be very few and the stocking may not be as full, we're going to have the merriest Christmas anyway! We're all here together... something I think we take for granted a lot. So you see, we really do have a wonderful life after all!
So take a moment and think of a way that you can bring joy to someone else... just one random act of kindness can mean the world to someone. And I promise, you'll smile too and you'll be happy that you did. You never know what someone is facing or what's going on in their life. Let's take this season to smile a little more and not dwell on our own problems, but see what we can do to help someone a little less fortunate. How many lives can you change? Something as small as a box of homemade cookies or shoveling someones walk or give a small gift to a child. No matter how small anything kind you do for someone can make a big difference in their life. Good luck on your journey... and remember Christmas is not in the snow that may or may not fall, it's not in the gifts under the tree. Christmas is all in your heart.
"Strange isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around it leaves and awful hole, doesn't it" ~ Clarence Oddbody
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