Only four more days 'til Xmas, or, for some of you, the final super night
of Chanuka is close at hand. Ads reminding you that bargains are available
as early as 7 a.m. and as late as midnight provide reassurance that there's
time to shop for everyone. Each year we complain about traffic jams and
crowded malls and the commercialized holiday. Some of us balk and refuse to
participate. It's the feast or famine mentality that is such a way of life
in the U. S. A.
I had an epiphany this year when I heard myself say, "I don't like to get
presents. I take greater pleasure in figuring out that special gift that's
a perfect fit for a loved one--the holidays, for me, are for giving." I
immediately realized that my homonym was significant. The holiday season is
a perfect time for us to take stock of our relationships. Very few us can
say there's no one we need to forgive for something. Perhaps the first
person we need to forgive is ourselves--for a night without enough sleep, a
neglected exercise session, overindulgence at a party table, or beating
ourselves up for any of the above.
This week, take a minute to forgive yourself then take courage and ask
someone you care about to forgive you too. Amazing how the holiday spirit
will soar. I know. It worked for me.
