This is not the first time we've entered into the Christmas season in desperate times. Ours is not the worst economy ever in history -- although it may seem like it to some. The world is in no greater peril than at any other time and it will, contrary to doomsday prophecies, continue. Our own personal losses, whether financial or personal, will be overcome. The true meaning of Christmas is timeless, unchanging and eternal.
Wonderfully, you see, Christmas -- the true meaning of Christmas -- is not dependent upon the stock market. It does not dim with bad economies. It is in no jeopardy during times of war. It is not reliant on the dollar, the euro or any worldly accounts. It is perpetual. It is Heavenly. It is Divine. It is here, with us. This is the time of year when less is supposed to be more -- not the other way around. It's not about how much we have or receive. It's about finding our way through the desert of materialism just as the ancient Magi traversed the desert, following the Star that would lead them to this season’s true meaning.
Look back and recall why it is that we long for this season. Our favorite Christmas stories are not about the accumulation of wealth and material goods, but how we are transformed by the power of a certain emotion given us by reminiscing about a long-ago memory. Think of it: The stories we love during Christmas are not fancy tales about the rich and powerful. They are about the meek and humble. They remind us of the smells in grandma's kitchen as she baked the Christmas goodies. They revolve around warm homes, substantial friendships, meaningful and nostalgic music and, lest we forget -- of an infant in a manger.
Tough times are never able to weaken or destroy Christmas because Christmas is not about only our possessions and us. Christmas is about who we are destined to be, who we want to be, what we hope for in life and it's about gathering 'round those who we love. It's about being okay with imperfection in family relationships and hugging each other anyway. Christmas is about recognizing the magnificent in the ordinary. It beckons us to say "I love you" and "I'm sorry." Christmas is about writing a hand-written note to a long-ago friend instead of an email or text. It's not about polish and perfection, it's about being happy with imperfections, wrinkles and mistakes. Christmas is about truth and forgiveness. It's about learning how to see beyond the shackles of human emotion and tapping into the Divine.
Charles Dickens put it perfectly in his novel, A Christmas Carol when he said: "They were not a handsome family. They were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being waterproof; their clothes were scanty... But they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time."
My Christmas wish for my family, friends and readers is to be contented with the time. For time is the one thing that escapes us so easily and hindsight is not as sweet as the present moment. Let's all choose to hold tight to the things we can't find under a tree -- the virtues of love, forgiveness, faith, hope, kindness and compassion.
Merry Christmas.
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