Monday, December 6, 2010

It's That Time Again!

Snow is falling, lights are blinking, and crowds are bustling to and fro. The Christmas season is upon us, renewing our joy and restoring our peace at the end of another year.

For all the grumbling and grouching going on out there, you have to admit it is a fun time. It feels good to buy things for others, to help each other out, to see the first patterned snowflakes of the season. The smell of goodies baking in the oven, the sparkly decorations, and the happiness of people infuses us with the short-lived spirit of something that captures us off guard – the spirit of love.

That’s what Christmas is you know, giving and receiving love. Seeing your family in a different light, embracing a new or rekindled love, and marveling at the miracle of a new life allows you to experience a feeling that should be no less than cherished.

Have you ever seen the movie “Passengers”? It’s about a plane that crashes and everyone dies (wait, this article gets better), and the psychologist keeps seeing the passengers but one by one they disappear and she can’t understand why. Spoiler: she has also died and realizes they hang around to support each other until they can find some peace and acceptance of their deaths before moving onward.

This got me thinking – what if we have all died but don’t know it? Since our time here is so short and eternity is, well, eternal, maybe this is our created world, with people entering and leaving our lives at appointed times to help us get through life. It is possible, right? For those who believe in a hereafter, and who wouldn’t want to believe we live forever, in some way, you could rationalize this. So looking at life from that perspective, why on earth would you want to boo and hiss this glorious season away? What if how you spend your time here is a dress rehearsal for the life you end up in later? And for those less inclined to believe in the hereafter, what if this is a sci-fi movie and we really are being watched and rated for future placement? Can you say you are pleased with your lifetime performance?

It isn’t hard to be cheery. To offer someone a smile, hold open a door, carry a bag, move a carriage, and have patience with someone else’s screaming child are selfless gifts. Simple things are what it’s all about. Smiling and caring are forms of love and their charm will warm and brighten like a bonfire on a starry winter night.

So the next time someone seems a bit down offer them a bit of Christmas spirit. Share the joy. Hug someone. Love someone. Give the grumpy one a candy cane. Celebrate. Hang up the lights. Live in the moment because those moments make up the performance. Take a chance. Be Santa.

Merry Christmas!

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