The Gift of Christmas

Since it is the start of the Christmas season, I would like to open with a poem I wrote last year when I was sitting in a hair salon enjoying the holiday decorations in the shop.  It was simple, but it reminded me of how beautiful and joyful the season is if we are able to connect with it.  Sometimes that connection gets clouded with the things we have to do or buy.  Consumerism dominates this time of giving.  While gift giving is an important element of this time of year, I wanted to remind myself that the gifts are not at the heart of the season.  The act of giving is so huge.  Christmas represents for me a time of forgiveness, love and of course giving.  Okay here is where I am going to delve into Christianity briefly.  Jesus to me represents all of those things, but most of all forgiveness which has to come from a place of love.  Loving those that have hurt me is not an easy task.  This is not a romantic love, instead it originates from feeling a deep connection to all of humanity.  Wonderful concepts like these are trenched into this time of year, but with all that is going on it is easy to forget them.

The Gift of Christmas

Into the clouds of Christmas shrouded by belief or non-belief. 
I choose belief.  In what?
Love, giving and forgiveness.
Christmas Carols bring me warmth in cozy blankets, cocoa and garland.
The magic of the season encourages laughter, hustle and jingles.
Decorations adorn shops, homes and public places. 
Spirit of giving contorted into consumerism set a fire.
It's easy to get wrapped up in stress, chatter, trimmings and false clauses.
Santa's magic is not found in those.
Birth of forgiveness breeds redemption and hope to turn a leaf tomorrow of a place I've never been.
It may not be physical to be new and freeing.  Opening my heart to renew in goals of life found through back doors.
Joy abounds in this season if I let it.  No fear. 
Be grateful and lean into joy.
The gift of giving is greater than the paper wrapped present.
Merry Christmas!!

by Cynthia Schaefer 
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