Daily Inspiration 12-25-16

"To the American People: 

Christmas is not a time or a season 

but a state of mind. 

To cherish peace and good will, 

to be plenteous in mercy, 

is to have the real spirit of Christmas. 

If we think on these things, 

there will be born in us a Savior 

and over us will shine a star 

sending its gleam of hope to the world." 

-- Presidential Message, December 25, 1927
Calvin Coolidge 

In the world of commerce, Christmas is absolutely a season, and for the retailer, it is the biggest and best season of the year. Of course, this is easy enough to see visually by just driving by any mall in the United States in the last two weeks. And it isn't over yet. The biggest shopping day of the year even surpassing Black Friday, is often the day after Christmas.

It's easy to associate commerce and Christmas, and it cannot be discounted that it matters in this way to an awful lot of people buying and selling at the flood point of business meeting opportunity. So be it.

All of that is okay, but to me over the years, Christmas has come to mean more and at the same time less. It means less because the idea of buying lots of presents has left me. I have less and less interest in participating in the commerce, though this is only personal and not an attack on the commercial aspect of the season.

As physical things go, I enjoy the colorful lights on houses and trees and bushes, the tree, real or artificial indoors with dressings all around the room, the smell of cinnamon in the Scentsy warmer, champagne, special foods. But, they are not required.

It means more to me because it is all about matters of the heart. All the other stuff just described is matters of the mind, but Christmas is all about the heart to me. It is love, appreciation, generosity, joy, dignity, and respect. It is about peace within and without. It is about harmony, choosing and allowing. And, of all of these, it is completely embodied in one word overall, and that is love. 

Many years ago now, I took a statement by Charles Dickens to my own heart. He said, "I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." This I have done and continue to do every single day of the year.


From My Heart To Yours. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by relaxing into it, as it is always there and ready.