Yes,
it is that time of year again. The holidays are quickly approaching and they
will be here sooner than you can blink an eye. In one moment, we will all gather together for a Thanksgiving
feast. The turkey will be roasted just right (or deep fried!), the mashed
potatoes will be a taste of heaven, the fresh-baked rolls will go nicely with
the stuffing and perfectly browned gravy. After dinner, families and friends
will corral to the den and share stories of old and present. There will be a
lot of laughter and maybe some quality reflection. When it is all
over, folks will bid their goodbyes and head back home.
By the
next morning, excited early risers will already be traveling to local retailers
and gift shops to hit all the early-bird sales on black Friday. This is when the
holidays get interesting. Shoppers wait in line for hours on end to buy the
latest gadget. When the product runs out, a lot of folks will have become
disappointed and frustrated when they could not grab the the perfect gift for
that special someone. So they will move onto the next store in the hopes of
getting the next big deal, and again, it happens: after a long wait in line,
the item sells out before they have an opportunity to buy it. That is
commercial marketing and it has nothing at all to do with the season of giving. Somewhere in the
midst of this frenzied, commercial holiday shopping, folks lose sight and their
sense of compassion; and the true reason for the season.
Sometimes
on the news, you will hear how fights have broken out in shopping centers, or
how some shoppers may have gotten trampled in the holiday sale frenzy. To go
from family and friend togetherness
on one day, to selfishness and madness the next day is ironic and truly sad. In
a season of gratitude, it is important to stop and think about what and who
really matter in your life. It is also a time to reflect on your actions, your behavior and how you come across to
others. Are you compassionate and
ready to share with others around
you? If your actions are merely about getting the best deal, buying the
"best" gift, or beating others to the sales' rack, then you might
need to reevaluate yourself.
In this
upcoming season of gratitude, I want
you to rediscover the child inside you.
Look back upon those days when you cherished special time with your family,
your friends and those who may no longer be in your life today. You can shop
any day but you cannot replace the love
and memories of being with those who mean the most to you. If you truly
want to give the best gift to someone you care about and whom you love, offer
the gift of your time. A good
example of one of the nicest gifts one can give are home-made coupon books that
offer your personal time. One coupon may have a few hours of helping to clean
an elderly person's home or taking that individual where she needs to go,
another could be a couple of hours helping a family member or friend with a
special task, or perhaps a coupon to spend the day at the park with your child,
or a niece or nephew. It may sound silly, but in a time where people are
becoming so disconnected from one another because of work, home schedules, and
personal projects, we forget to make
time for others who need us and love us.
The season of gratitude is about loving, caring and sharing. This year,
carry over the feelings of your Thanksgiving throughout the rest of the year
and for years to come. Understand that those you love the most need you and
want you in their lives. A gentle touch, a hug, a kind word, a meaningful conversation, or sharing a ride to the
grocery store can make a difference
to someone you know.
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