Have you ever noticed how everyone is “nicer” and less “naughty” during the Christmas season? An explosion of kindness somehow surrounds us and is more contagious than Covid! Goodwill is freely extended from one person to another, with smiles, hugs, waves, and toddies, happily shared together. Kindness is in the air for all to enjoy, and thankfully, the Grinches are seldom around. It is as if you could magically sprinkle fairy dust on all our good feelings and generosity, creating a brighter, more luminous Christmas star.
The perfect Christmas gift of kindness includes improved moods and the good will to overlook flaws, pettiness, and insignificant differences. So, what if Uncle Joe has a little too much rum in his eggnog? That is the same Uncle Joe who gave you piggyback rides as a child and pushed you on your swing, so high, you felt like you could grab a handful of stars. And then there is the old friend, you may have quit talking too. The friend you used to spend holidays with, who would lovingly made chicken soup for you when you were sick. Christmas is when a child was born into the world to grant us all love and forgiveness, and at the very least, our hearts should be both loving and forgiving. People are constantly going out of their way to do wonderful things for people they do not know, and yet they sometimes take part in conflicts within their community. How do we fix it?
If the concept of Christmas is all about love and forgiveness, how big is your heart? Are you capable and kind enough to overlook, and forgive imperfections with grace and generosity? Could understanding neighbors, accepting changes graciously, and enjoying commonalities be more important than dwelling on “wrongs” and “differences?” We are sometimes more generous and caring to strangers than we are to people in our own community, because of opposite visions and goals. If we commit to create an environment of harmony, work together, and aspire to be a loving community, the gift of Christmas’ kindness will truly be in the air, and could last throughout the year!
