I was watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas with my grandchild recently (for the umpteenth time). Every time I see this movie, I’m reminded of its simple message about the holidays. Even when all is lost (spoiler alert), the Whos down in Whoville remember that the true gifts we give each other come from the heart.
So that got me to thinking about gifts that have meant a lot to me lately. One daughter who is going to be away for the holidays came over and spent several hours with me just sitting on the couch and visiting before she left town. Another daughter took me to see a movie. My two sons have called me at various times just to tell me “great news.” For those who don’t know, my sons have autism, so their great news might be that a TV show came on that they like, or that they were brave at the dentist, or that an art project was finished. My grandson thanked me for coming to all his games and told me he loved me. My granddaughter came to me needing help to sew up one of her stuffed toys. These were not expensive gifts. They weren’t wrapped in shiny paper. But they were gifts I treasured in my heart.
Treasured gifts also come from friends who reach out in kindness, who pause in their busy lives to be present, neighbors who come over to help with some small task, and even from strangers who offer a smile and greeting as we pass.
Holidays can be a time of stress, sadness, exhaustion, and overindulgence. We are bombarded with ads, irritated by the incessant Christmas music we’ve been hearing since Halloween, overwhelmed with lists that are too long, and yes, fed up with yet one more blog post about the true spirit of the holidays! I know. So maybe this holiday, we can give ourselves the most important gift of all – the gift of self-acceptance and compassion. Ignore this post, silence your phone and computer for a little while, go for a walk or put your feet up, take a nap or a bubble bath, listen to “irreverent Christmas songs” like the playlist a friend sent me this morning (so funny!), and observe nature’s quiet stillness of winter solstice. The light returns.
May you find peace in the promise of the solstice night,
That each day forward is blessed with more light.
That the cycle of nature, unbroken and true,
Brings faith to your soul and well-being to you.
Rejoice in the darkness, in the silence find rest.
And may the days that follow be abundantly blessed.
~unknown