Peace on Earth
The holiday season for our family is December! We celebrate Christmas in all its true sense. To be honest, the tree will go up in November, and gift buying and hiding them, will start anywhere in October onwards. The parties, the baking, the gatherings, the caroling, the continuous action will go on for a whole month!
We love the Festive Season for reasons we probably cannot articulate. Including love of family, friendships, spreading cheer, meeting old and new friends, making more effort for charity and unity, the food, yummy yummy food, church celebrations, gatherings of all sorts, ugly holiday sweaters, and even that weird relative you see only once a year. The whole package is all special and unique! I cannot explain it, but while I moan every year about everything that needs to get done for the holidays, I love every second of it!
This holiday season, I am reminding my children of their blessings even more then years past. We live in a region of conflict and strife. In our immediate part of the globe, children are starving and war has taken its toll on a country neighboring where we live. The global context is one of laissez faire and ignore what we cannot see. It saddens me to say, that the world has lost its humanity and has turned its back on children dying for lack of food and medicine, in 2017?!!
In our own home, we have had a long stressful year of insecurity and doubt, to what the future will hold. Jobs are scarce on the ground and life is expensive and demanding. We have had our own sense of "what if" this year and how to deal with it. We, adults, had to remind ourselves of our blessings.
We all overindulge at holiday times, gifts, food, outings, clothes... we forget that we have 11 other months to worry about and budget for. Our best laid plans go out the door, as we convince ourselves it is alright to overspend and make it all beautiful! This year I have attempted to be economical in my outlook, and limit it all to what is needed and necessary rather then whimsical and frivolous. We still have a ton of gifts under the tree, we still have new clothes to wear, and we still have served, baked, and eaten plenty!
Every year, I remind myself first and then attempt to remind my children, that we live a far more privileged life then 90% of the world's population. We have a roof over our heads, full bellies every night, safety and security, and a lifestyle in a country people dream of. I remind myself and my children, that "grateful" and "thankful"should be our only words this season. To remind myself and others, to never take anything for granted, that all of life is unpredictable and unsure.
This holiday season, I lost a high school classmate, who passed away in three weeks, after being diagnosed with cancer. This has been heartbreaking for me. To think how young he was, and how he left behind three children and his family. What Christmas will his family ever have again, that will be joyous and not a reminder of how they lost him so close to the date?
Grateful and thankful, for all the loved ones I still have on this earth. For all the family and friends, that bless us every year with their love and attention. For all the happy memories my children are making. For the full life we are able to build in a peaceful country. For the dreams my children can dream, without panic or fear. For all the journeys we have travelled that made us who we are. For the luxury of seeing my children grow and having the time to spend with them. For the love, love, love that surrounds our home everyday in a multitude of ways.
In mentioning all of the above, I just want to take a moment to give a thought and a mention for those that: lost a loved one this year, found out that someone they care about is not well, for the children growing up in places where dreams are lost before they are made, for the lost souls who have yet to find their meaning on earth, for those that believe material things will bring them contentment, for the people whose sole goal is to find enough to feed their family, for those who will never have enough just because of where they were born, for the land of my ancestors that has not seen peace or harmony for decades, for members of any society that feel ostracized or demeaned in their own homes.
Here is what I have learned: I wish for peace on earth every year at this time, I am forever thankful for the opportunity to celebrate this holiday in my own home under my own free will, I am hopeful for a brighter future for all of humanity, I am joyful for my family who I love deeply, I am elated for all the people in my life, and I am always searching for ways to continue to be content with my life.
Merry Christmas to all of you reading this and may the new year bring new love, happiness, health, and peace!
This holiday season, I am reminding my children of their blessings even more then years past. We live in a region of conflict and strife. In our immediate part of the globe, children are starving and war has taken its toll on a country neighboring where we live. The global context is one of laissez faire and ignore what we cannot see. It saddens me to say, that the world has lost its humanity and has turned its back on children dying for lack of food and medicine, in 2017?!!
In our own home, we have had a long stressful year of insecurity and doubt, to what the future will hold. Jobs are scarce on the ground and life is expensive and demanding. We have had our own sense of "what if" this year and how to deal with it. We, adults, had to remind ourselves of our blessings.
We all overindulge at holiday times, gifts, food, outings, clothes... we forget that we have 11 other months to worry about and budget for. Our best laid plans go out the door, as we convince ourselves it is alright to overspend and make it all beautiful! This year I have attempted to be economical in my outlook, and limit it all to what is needed and necessary rather then whimsical and frivolous. We still have a ton of gifts under the tree, we still have new clothes to wear, and we still have served, baked, and eaten plenty!
Every year, I remind myself first and then attempt to remind my children, that we live a far more privileged life then 90% of the world's population. We have a roof over our heads, full bellies every night, safety and security, and a lifestyle in a country people dream of. I remind myself and my children, that "grateful" and "thankful"should be our only words this season. To remind myself and others, to never take anything for granted, that all of life is unpredictable and unsure.
This holiday season, I lost a high school classmate, who passed away in three weeks, after being diagnosed with cancer. This has been heartbreaking for me. To think how young he was, and how he left behind three children and his family. What Christmas will his family ever have again, that will be joyous and not a reminder of how they lost him so close to the date?
Grateful and thankful, for all the loved ones I still have on this earth. For all the family and friends, that bless us every year with their love and attention. For all the happy memories my children are making. For the full life we are able to build in a peaceful country. For the dreams my children can dream, without panic or fear. For all the journeys we have travelled that made us who we are. For the luxury of seeing my children grow and having the time to spend with them. For the love, love, love that surrounds our home everyday in a multitude of ways.
In mentioning all of the above, I just want to take a moment to give a thought and a mention for those that: lost a loved one this year, found out that someone they care about is not well, for the children growing up in places where dreams are lost before they are made, for the lost souls who have yet to find their meaning on earth, for those that believe material things will bring them contentment, for the people whose sole goal is to find enough to feed their family, for those who will never have enough just because of where they were born, for the land of my ancestors that has not seen peace or harmony for decades, for members of any society that feel ostracized or demeaned in their own homes.
Here is what I have learned: I wish for peace on earth every year at this time, I am forever thankful for the opportunity to celebrate this holiday in my own home under my own free will, I am hopeful for a brighter future for all of humanity, I am joyful for my family who I love deeply, I am elated for all the people in my life, and I am always searching for ways to continue to be content with my life.
Merry Christmas to all of you reading this and may the new year bring new love, happiness, health, and peace!
Comments
Post a Comment