How To Have A Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas!
I’m going to do something I don’t normally do — voluntarily give the floor to someone else. I recently got the following note from some good friends, Janet and Steve Hayes, and thought it pretty much said it all this Christmas, so thanks to them, I now get to share it with you. They begin by pointing out how many people wish us “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” at this time of year, but nobody ever tells us how we’re supposed to achieve that. They continue:
“Christmas is a state of mind. It is not about shoving folks at the crack of dawn the day after Thanksgiving at pre-dawn Black Friday sales, or wrapping presents, or hanging lights on the house or decorating trees. It really has nothing to do with any of that. Odd isn’t it!! Christmas is all about faith — faith that a set of actions will produce results that don’t make any sense in the real world. Faith says give, and you will receive more than you could have gotten for yourself. Faith says show warmth and love in the face of cold indifference and you will break down boundaries that were set in stone. Faith says look at the world differently than everyone else. Faith is full of hope and promise. So, if you want a merry Christmas, or a happy holiday, or a joyous new year, you will have to become a giver. Giving doesn’t mean buying gifts and wrapping them, although you can if that’s your thing. A giver simply gives. Everyone has an excess of something in their lives. What is it that you have an overabundance of? It may not be money, it may be a positive attitude, or a great sense of humor. You might have extra clothes or gloves or earrings or shoes. Maybe you have a talent to fix things like cars, or furnaces, or washing machines. Maybe you are a great helper, or door holder, or house cleaner. Maybe you are good at sharing your company, or your compassion. You might just be a great listener, or have a heart-lifting smile. Everyone has something they can give. So give it. Give it often, give it now and throughout the new year. Share your talents and your gifts and your excess. Because in giving, you will receive a joy you can’t get or buy or steal from anywhere else. Giving to those in need will give you a sense of satisfaction and self-worth you can’t find anywhere on Earth. Giving will bring an abundance in your life you couldn’t gain on your own. Become a giver and experience the true wisdom of the Wise Men of old. We promise you, you will never regret the things you give from your heart.”
With some truly radiant bright spots along the way, 2009 has been a very difficult year for me, and maybe for you, too. At times, I’ve felt like I went from a brightly-glowing ember to a cold piece of ash on the morning after the bonfire’s all burned out. Maybe you have, too. Janet and Steve stoked a little bit of light back out of me with their note, and hopefully it will grow back into a glow in 2010. No matter what kind of year you’ve had, I hope that their note brought a little more light into your life as well and that you now bring a little more light into someone else’s this Christmas.
Thanks to Janet and Steve for writing, and thanks to you for reading. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Brian
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