Christmas time is here again
Well folks, Christmas is nearly here and, if my calculations are correct, this year marks the 2,055th year since the birth of our Lord and Saviour. That means over 2,000 Christmases have come and gone, but for most of us, I'll guess less than 50 since I don't actually know how young my MotoReaders are.
Regardless of how many Yuletides this old world has seen, or how many each of us have experienced though, the sentiment remains the same. Christmas is a special time of year for the majority of us because it's a time that we can be a little better versions of ourselves. It's a time that we can get away with being a little goofier, a little merrier and a little nicer to each other simply because of the season. Christmas is a time for happiness and joy, a time for giving, spreading love and enjoying time with our families, friends and our favorite people.
Christmas is also a great time to check in on those among us who aren't as blessed. A time to feed those who may otherwise go hungry and provide warmth and shelter to those who may not have a roof over their head. I would imagine that, in the Lord's divine grace and knowledge, Christmas being at the beginning of winter and on the eve of a new year, is no accident. After all, it's a great time of year to help our fellow man, feed them, clothe them, and help them, at at time when we are experiencing so much abundance. Being on the eve of a new year also is a great time to remind us to be better people as we go into the future. To resolve to keep up that momentum of giving, sharing and helping all throughout the year.
But how often do we actually do that? How long does our philanthropy last? How long does it take for us to regain our cynicism of the world?
I remember, from what seems like such a long time ago now, when I was a kid, Christmas was the best time of year. School would let out for the rest of the year, the Sears toy catalog would be delivered and the stores were warm and full of fat guys in red suits. Bells were ringing everywhere you went, colorful lights lit up houses and big ornaments were attached to the street lights through all of the towns you'd pass through. People seemed happier back then. My family moved to the Gulf Coast from the Midwest when I was a kid, so I have Christmas memories of deep snow, puffy jackets, mittens and stocking caps, as well as, memories of warm, sunny Christmas mornings where a new bike could be ridden through the neighborhood, the tides being out leaving the bayous drained to a trickle (perfect for "treasure" hunting) and running around outside like fools with my friends and cousins until the sun went down.
The older we get though, it seems like the shiny magic of Christmas time fades, tarnishes and ceases to glow with the same brilliance as it did when we were kids. We get older, take on responsibilities, have to work, pay bills, navigate through heavier than normal traffic, and stress out over buying gifts and, sometimes, getting ourselves in debt trying to buy gifts for everyone in our lives.
The ironic part is, the best gifts that we can give, are usually the ones that we are least likely to give. Gifts of happy, joyous memories, gifts of spending time, good quality time, with each other. Gifts of our undivided attention with no phones or electronic devices to distract us from the moments. Gifts as simple as a "Merry Christmas" to the cashier at the grocery store, or a putting a sack of potatoes in the food drive donation box for a local church. Doing something as simple as letting a car merge in front of you in traffic, or letting someone have that really good parking spot in front of the store, doesn't cost us a thing. By being considerate of other people and remembering that they may be going through a difficult time, we can literally make a positive impact on each other, because such a simple act of kindness could be the one thing that changes someone's day for the better.
A new year
As the Christmas bells of 2022 stop ringing and the new year draws nearer, the simple fact remains that the unrelenting march of time continues onward, ticking by in seconds, minutes, hours, days and months until we find ourselves here, in this most Holy time, once again. No matter what you did right, or wrong in 2022, you'll have an opportunity to make it right (or screw it up) in 2023 and, if you're blessed enough, again the next year, and the next year after that.
The trick of it all though, is that we don't know how many Christmases or how many new years we will be blessed to see. So my advice to you is to live each day, as the day that you want to be remembered by. If today was your last day and your whole life were to be judged by what you did, or how you treated people, today... what would people remember you for? Would they speak of your generosity? Your kindness? Your positivity? Or would they speak of you in some other, less kind, way?
Christmas time charity and kindness doesn't have to only be once a year, but rather, it can be the beginning of a new year of kindness, charity and love for each other.
Remember to always be kind, MotoReaders.
