Pondering Christmas

We are now in the midst of celebrating Christmas. We might still be unwrapping presents and, visiting friends and family, but we're almost finished with the excitement of partying, and participating in the wonderful church services, pageants and other religious observances. It's time now to ponder and think about Christmas. When the commemorations are finished, how do we feel?

When events are over and the get-to-gathers are past -- even the small ones -- how do we feel? During this pandemic of seeming lack and deprivation, hopefully we abided by the safe guidelines of social distancing, cleanliness and the wearing of masks. Some people were alone and others surrounded by friends and family, But when all is done and we're by ourselves again, what's going on in our heads?

We may look around our living room floors and furniture, and see pieces of paper and Christmas gift bags. The clutter is all around us. We begin to pick up and salvage the memories of what we did. Are they happy memories or do we feel sad and alone? I think we can feel both joy and sadness. Did we get what we wanted? Did we feel warm and loved by those around us? Was it a god day for us? Did that happen which we expected?

I believe that many can ponder those questions. Remember when you were a child? I can reminisce about my thoughts and feelings then. First of all, we opened our gifts and peered in our stockings. Ah h, what awe we felt, as we tried to guess what the presents held. Our family always attended a Catholic Mass at our local parish during which my brother and I squirmed in our seats. We hoped the priest would hurry and not talk too long. Mom prepared a large Christmas dinner and some relatives came over to dine with us. It was a wonderful day, but after we had opened our gifts, I felt a pang of sadness. The excitement was over, and what was left? Although I may have received what I had asked for, was this what I had prepared for? I had felt that when it arrived my life would be changed? All the worldly hoopla had not fulfilled my emotional needs. I didn't realize that next year I would be looking forward to and waiting, again--for a changed life at Christmas time. It would be the best day of my life. I would, hopefully recognize that all those things, on which I had based my evaluation as a child, were the wrong ones.

What I needed to focus on, instead, was the fact that a baby was born during that time period. This wasn't just an ordinary baby, although He may have appeared to be. No, indeed not. Rather He was God that came into the world that night. He came into our world in human form, like us in every way so we could relate to him as one of us. We would respond with confidence and comfort as he stretched his hands out to us. Rather than fear Him we would react with love and acceptance.

When we begin to ponder our feelings about our Christmas this year, we may feel loneliness when it's all over. We may also feel a sense of relief in the fact that all the work is over and we can get back to a sense of normality. As we learn, especially as we mature, we can be joyful, even though we haven't received a single Christmas gift. Happiness and joy reside within each of us. If we keep our minds on the miracle of Jesus arriving that Christmas night many years ago, we will be joyful. We can focus on the good things that come into our lives every Christmas. Although, sometimes it seems as if everything goes awry during the season, if we look we'll find that good experiences are present also. We have just failed to recognize them.

Christmas can be celebrated joyfully by appreciating the beautiful lights and decorations in our midst, noticing the spirit of joy we see on people's faces, and watching the evidence of love spread by those sacrificing for others. If we're alone, we can learn ways to cope with our situation and determine to accept our circumstances while seeking to be a light to others. Refuse to compare the state of your life with the outward appearance of other's lives. Jesus brought light to the world and we can also.