The Gift Of The Holidays

“If you will be alone this Christmas and are having a hard time with the holidays, if you would like a call or a gift or just to feel loved, please PM me. I have love to give.”

I woke up the other day to this post from a friend on Facebook.

This is the essence of what the holidays should be about, no matter what traditions you and your family celebrate.

As the final two weeks before Christmas unfolds for our family, I have much to be grateful for.

Mostly, I am grateful for the spirit of kindness that I believe most people carry within. My friend's post received many private responses. And that made me think this:

To all the sad, broken, and lonely people out there, you are not alone.

The holidays often bring out great sadness and loss. Perhaps it is due to the shortened days. Maybe it is because we are reminded that some loved ones are no longer with us to celebrate family and home cuddled up to a roaring fire (depending on where you may be in the world - maybe you celebrate the holidays reveling in full summertime glory). You might be estranged from family members who have hurt you in the past.

Either way, this time of year can be bittersweet, and we desperately try to ameliorate the emptiness within. The world's political climate is precarious, and we have many reasons to feel fearful about our future with all the senseless violence we hear about every day. I think of @macksby's post a few days ago about New York and the heightened security that pollutes the mood with images of violence and armed guards lining the streets

But I know this. The sadness that goes along with this time of year has so much to do with our lack of connection to each other. Every year we sink more into the pit of self-obsession with our gadgets that keep us from real time conversations. Humans need direct and meaningful interactions with others to thrive. We all know babies die without touch and feeling loved. Adults suffer too. We aren't meant to live parallel lives, disconnected from our families and communities.

This Facebook post from my friend made a huge impact on the way I plan on celebrating this year.

When you think about it, it's tragic that the madness begins on Thanksgiving Day. The goal is accumulation and being first to snag deals on useless gadgets and latest popular culture obsessions.

courtesy of ebaumsworld.com

Apparently there's something this year called Hatchimals? Stores are out of them (genius marketing) and people are losing their minds.

Is it worth it? Why participate? You have a choice. Has society become so materialistic that we are willing to shove people out of our way to desperately gather up things we don't need? Thanks to the media for telling us how much better off we will be if we buy into the madness.

That's not for me or my family. Last weekend I took my children to Target to buy gifts for women and children's shelters for their clubs at school. These women fled from dangerous homes, many risking their lives, with little more than their children and the clothing on their backs. They don't know what their futures hold. No doubt for them the holidays will have a different meaning all together - maybe a chance to celebrate being alive and free for the first time in their lives. That's at the opposite end of the spectrum from those who think three new 80" televisions and the latest toy craze are the answers to bliss.

Here's what is really important for me to give this year. The gift of my time. Pure, undistracted time, time to pay attention to those I love. Time to make new memories by slowing down, sipping hot chocolate and watching It's a Wonderful Life with my family. It is time to reflect on warm memories from the past, and perhaps most importantly, making things a little more bearable for those who are not so fortunate.

My friend's message struck a deep chord and became an important lesson at our house this year. Because the real meaning of Christmas is not about lists and what you want as gifts. It's what you can give.

And the holidays are a perfect time to create new traditions of giving.

I urge all of us here, as Steemit celebrates its first holiday season, to set an example of giving. Don't forget those in need. You would be surprised how life-altering a gift of a book can be to a child who has lost his home due to domestic violence. Such a small thing as a bottle of nail polish or a bath bomb for a mother who feels like she will never again feel like a woman can keep her strong so she can face another day. A pretty little brush and some hair elastics can bring unfathomable joy to a little girl who watched her mother get beaten up. These are only some examples.

How about making a visit to a nursing home? Get to know some of the residents. You can't know how their lives would be brightened to make new friends. Make some cookies with your kids and arrange a visit. The stories they have to tell can be priceless.

Please make a difference to someone this year, and remember the true joy of giving hope to others.

You can't put that feeling in a shopping cart.

The real truth is, we are at our happiest when we help others.

So cheers to you, Ryan, for being so gracious and generous with your offer. The world needs more gentle souls like you. You have offered a beacon of hope to many, and the world is a better place because you are in it.

Illustration © Johanna Westerman 2016