Some Christmas Reflections

Tis’ The Season To Be Jolly, Chestnuts Roasting On The Open Hearth, Joy To The World, Oh Little Town of Bethlehem and so the hymns and carols sound out across the lands during this season of hope. This is all about the anticipation that we can be our best selves in relation to one another. Togetherness, love, caring, giving to others as we would like to be given to are all expressions of us as the aware, compassionate and lovingly kind potential that exists within each one of us.

By contrast, many of us feel a sense of alienation from ourselves and one another.  All of us have been wounded by life in some way.  For many, we listen to our self created narrative, in our attempt to make sense out of our life experiences, and our inner critic trumpets that we are not good enough.  For some it is having experienced abuse in one form or another.  For others it is hunger, having no place at the Inn or hope for anything better in life. Then, there are those whose pain has had to do with illness, loss, and death.

The world in which we live either enhances our sense of togetherness or magnifices our sense of alienation. How our political leaders treat citizens and those who are not citizens makes an impact on how we feel about the world in which we are living. Are our leaders lovingly kind or do they turn away immigrants who are seeking asylum from certain death in their own countries.  Do we, as Americans, take these  who are seeking a safe, better world and imprison the parents in detention centers, and send their children away to some other detention facility for months at a time? The image of the Inn in Bethlehem comes to mind.  Only in the case of Mary and Joseph, they found safe lodging, if only in a barn, and were able to remain together as a family.

To be able to experience togetherness, hope, love, caring and giving to others, we need to feel a sense of trust in one another.  Not being truthful, acting out of greed, being vindictive towards others all erode the possibility for such experiences of love, closeness, and wellbeing.

Our world today holds the potential for togetherness and hope.  It also holds the potential for continued alienation, mistrust and despair. Each of us can play a role in determining which path we take. Do we express our true potential for compassion, loving kindness and awareness in relating to ourselves and others?  Or, do we treat others as a means to an end, as so much collateral damage in decisions that benefit our interests, only? 

Bringing Joy To The World can be as simple as treating others as we would like to be treated. Imagine what it would be like if we treated the next stranger we come upon or family member, or even ourselves, as we would like to be treated. Hope your today is filled with much love and many hugs.