It is Christmas. The meaning of Christmas differs to your origin, religion, or persuasion.
This Christmas I am especially aware of how important my persuasion or choice is.
Thiw is why when I got dressed this morning, I chose to put on my “choose to be joyous” t-shirt.
Choosing to be joyous is not the same as feeling happy. One can choose to be joyous, even if you are feeling sad.
When we arrived at our Southern home we noticed our homeowners left us a personal companion: Alexa. We can say, “Alexa, play Christmas music.” When you let someone or something else choose for you, sometimes your experience isn’t one you would choose. We heard a voice crooning all I want for Christmas is a real good tan.
“Please, Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas)” was maybe our worst listening-to-Alexa experience. Here are the full lyrics:
Please daddy, don’t get drunk this Christmas, I don’t wanna see my mamma cry.
Please daddy, don’t get drunk this Christmas, I don’t wanna see my mamma cry.
Just last year when I was only seven, now I’m almost eight as you can see.
You came home a quarter past eleven, fell down underneath our Christmas tree.
Please daddy, don’t get drunk this Christmas, I don’t wanna see my mamma cry.
Please daddy, don’t get drunk this Christmas, I don’t wanna see my mamma cry.
Mamma smiled and looked outside the window. She told me, “Son, you better get upstairs.”
Then you laughed and hollered “Merry Christmas.” I turned around and saw my mamma’s tears.
Please daddy, don’t get drunk this Christmas, I don’t wanna see my mamma cry.
Please daddy, don’t get drunk this Christmas, I don’t wanna see my mamma cry.
No, I don’t wanna see my mamma cry.
Having a drunk father at Christmas is not fun. It is also not fun to spend Christmas in the hospital, or gravely ill.
Christmas can be felt differently by those who have lost a loved one.
Not having a roof over you head, food on your table, or gifts under the tree can also generate unhappy feelings.
But choosing to BE joyous, regardless of the current conditions, remains a choice.
This is how our persuasion fits in.
Two men were looking at a bottle of milk.
Said one with a groan, “The bottle is half empty.”
Said the other with a grin, “The bottle is half full.”
The first belonged to the courters of disasters,
forever bemoaning their losses;
the second to the invincibles who
win by counting their blessings.source: Los Angeles Times, Feb 26, 1933, p. 14
I am profoundly aware of so many having so much to feel sad about and it is Christmas. I am in awe of the persuasion—the choice to be joyous, being made by so many.
As a special gift to each of you, I have selected a few Sacred Stories to share again:
I hope you will click on each of these links and take some time with these stories that tell us about the light that shines in the darkness.
I hope you will find a genuine way to keep Christmas this year, regardless of your origin or your religion. From our place in paradise, here I am wishing happy holidays to you and yours.
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