On Joy

The Holidays have always been a joyful time of year for me... a magical time of imagination, anticipation, and of course, miracles. When I was a child, I would walk around with butterflies in my stomach as soon as the Thanksgiving table was cleared. I knew that there was so much to look forward to: nighttime church services full of lights and hope, Christmas break from school, and of course, presents (admit it, all children look forward to presents). My mom always put so much effort into making the holidays special for us, from decorating every square inch of our house with beautiful decorations, to Christmas cookies, to loading up the bases of TWO Christmas trees with beautifully wrapped presents. I only hope that I can inspire such joy and anticipation for my children, as my mother did for her children.

Why is it that Christmas can lose its magic so easily when we become adults? Perhaps the worries of the years add up, and the mere volume of them makes it seem impossible to rid them from our hearts in order to enjoy the season. Perhaps as we grow older, so do all generations (who have come before us and after us), and the pain of loss accumulates and continues to weigh on our hearts and minds. Perhaps we allow the disappointments and pains that people in our lives have caused throughout the year to continue, without forgiveness, and create a barrier between us and that pure feeling of joy that we had as a child.

This holiday season, I choose to forgive those who have hurt me, to ask forgiveness of those I have hurt, and let go of the worries of my world in order to truly feel the joy of the season.

And I vow to create the atmosphere of magic that I so clearly remember having when I was a child.

This face certainly fills me with joy every day!