I rush headlong into the Holidays with a “to do” list that is a mile long. I can get so focused on creating the perfect Christmas for my family that I don’t fully appreciate the moments leading up to the celebration. As the years go by, I am working harder to appreciate the simple joys that surround us at Christmas, and here are a few that I appreciate most:
- I hope that you had a chance to attend a children’s Christmas program this season. Perhaps you made a special point to be there for a child or grandchild or perhaps it was part of your Sunday service at church. A kid’s enthusiasm is not yet watered down by the fear of making a mistake or forgetting a line. They give it 110% and their interpretation of the Christmas story is both heartwarming and hilarious. I have never left a children’s Christmas program without feeling the full spirit of the season.
- I hope you had a chance to volunteer. It always feels good to give back, and it’s especially true at Christmas. I rang the bell for a Salvation Army red kettle one Saturday morning. It was just an hour – but in that short time, I was wished Merry Christmas by dozens of people that I had never met and had delightful visits with several strangers who stopped to thank me for my effort. People open their hearts at Christmas, and I received 100 fold more than my small gift of time.
- I hope you had a chance to connect with friends and family that you don’t hear from often. I haven’t seen my dear friend from high school in years, but every Christmas, I watch the mail for her greeting. This year, it includes a picture of her new grandson. Christmas cards, Facebook posts, phone calls, and e-mails from those who have touched my heart at some point along the way reminds me that there are a lot of people out there who care – even when we are not together all the time.
From all of us at the Southwest Initiative Foundation, may the simple joys of the season be yours today and every day throughout the year.
