December 16, 2024
December is the month when the trees are most vibrant and stunning around here. I’ve been struck by their brilliance as the sun is setting and the leaves are all aglow. This abundance of natural beauty is met with a showcase of holiday lights and décor on every street. I have to be careful when I’m driving to keep my eyes on the road when it is so tempting to stop and take it in.
As I reflect on the year we’ve had, I realize the importance of this season of lights, color, music, and cheer. We reach the end of the year weary and often wounded by the stings of adversity. Almost everyone I know has experienced some degree of loss, hardship, trauma, pain, or disease this year. Life is good, but it is not easy. I have known joy, love, and gratitude through it all, and yet I am ready to rest. My soul is longing for comfort, renewal, and inspiration.
One way to experience these gifts is through our favorite places and things. We can also find beauty, bounty, and bliss right where we are if we pay closer attention. Take some time for yourself each day and breathe in love. This will ground you in the Now and increase your awareness. As we learn to notice and savor our present experience, we begin to realize that favorite things are all around us.
I love this line from the “We Can Do Hard Things” theme song: I continue to believe that I'm the one for me, and because I'm mine, I walk the line (Tish Melton). You’re the one for you, and your favorite things can help you through the hard things. Treat yourself like you are your favorite person, and you are the one who can love you the best. When we come to know and love ourselves more deeply, we increase our capacity to love others. It is, in fact, the most generous and compassionate way to live.
Christmastime is all about giving, and that can be overwhelming if we are already feeling spent (mentally, emotionally, physically, financially). We want to give more than we feel able to give, and yet the simplest gifts always end up being the best. When we slow down and get centered in love, creative ideas flow more easily. Joy and delight come with giving authentic and meaningful gifts. It helps to know others’ favorite things as well as your own.
It also helps to notice and let go of the things that rob us of joy, like comparisons and expectations. These traps keep us from being fully alive and well. For me, they creep in when I am tired. Sleep is the magic wand that can make those gremlins disappear. I can keep them away if I give myself grace, time alone, and a dose of favorite things. When I am good to myself, I can be better to everyone else.
This Christmas, respond with love and relax into joy. Let the season lift your spirits and lighten your load. It was meant for that. As we know, it has always been about mystery and miracles. Let the music, stories, lights, and wonder enfold and inspire you. We have to slow down long enough to let this happen. When we do, we notice things we have overlooked. We listen more intently and our vibration changes. We become more attuned to Spirit’s presence and activity in our lives. We experience goodness and grace.
As the year comes to a close, prepare your heart and soul for a new one. Let your hope be restored and your joy be revived. These are gifts to cherish and protect. I am reminded of this affirmation: Nothing can disturb the calm peace of my soul or steal my joy. As I hold these treasures with an open heart and hand, they spread outward and uplift others.
The true gifts of the season - Joy, Peace, Hope, and Love - are ours to receive and to give. May they fill our celebrations, inspire acts of kindness, and carry us into the new year.
Merry & Bright,
ej
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