As we travel the paths of our life journey we can find much worth celebrating - times that have meaning, situations that bring us joy or peace or love. Christmastime can be an invitation to us to find the reason for the season and celebrate it accordingly......

Tis the Season

Christmas is almost here and with it's pending arrival come the feelings of wonder and awe, happy smiling children, lights and decorations throughout the neighborhood, city sidewalks, busy sidewalks, decorated store windows, families making happy plans to get together to lovingly share in the festivities....

Christmas is almost here and with it's pending arrival come the feelings of overwhelming stress, teary-eyed children, tired and frustrated shoppers in the over-crowded malls, people saying Happy Holidays,  Christmas cards with no mention of a Merry Christmas, and families negotiating the painful minefield of familial disasters of Christmases past.... 

Reflecting back on Christmases from my past, I have many happy memories that I savor and an equal number of anxiety riddled memories that fill me with ample amounts of emotional stress. There have been Christmases where some in my circle of family and friends have struggled with depression, addiction, anxiety and the like, and all the yuletide cheer was nothing short of painful. On the other hand, there have been many Christmases full of wonder and awe - the happy faces of little ones, the smiles of contented family members, and the warmth of making memories around the table as we shared Christmas dinner in the spirit of love. 

I cannot change the memories of Christmases past but I can move with consciousness into the Christmas season and allow myself to make choices that truly represent what I believe in and what has, for me, a sense of purpose, meaning and true value. My Christmas is a time for spiritual reflection, a time set aside for being in the moment with loved ones and good friends and a time for the sharing of gifts that come from the heart.