Wow. Six years ago was the first time I wrote a Christmas Eve remembrance to be gentle with one another. Hard to believe so many years of this tradition have passed already.
And in this surreal year of 2017, it certainly bears repeating that…we need to treat one another with kindness and love.
2017 has been a year of many firsts.
Firsts that have been rooted in fear and hate.
Firsts that have been rooted in hope and love.
Firsts that have created watershed moments that bring us to a place where we can either make systemic changes for the better…or allow injustices to continue prevailing in an unfair world.
Firsts that might mean the last of some things—some lasts fostering hope…and some simply cruel.
It’s been a tumultous, crazy year.
All the more reason to pay attention and act in kindness and love.
In all the crazy, look around you. Be mindful of those you hold dear—and act in a way that lets them know that they matter to you.
In all the crazy, don’t give up. Remember that if all we pay attention to is what we cannot do…we will do nothing. If we see what we can do and do it…it matters.
In all the crazy, be gentle. Don’t let the blowhards and masters of manipulation rob you of your gentle spirit. Gentle on.
And remember that gentle doesn’t mean passive. Gentle is compassion… kindness… consideraton… Gentle is being mindful of the world around you and giving enough of a damn to listen and love.
Okay…enough. It’s 2017…on the verge of 2018…let us be gentle with one another while we try to work through these trying times.
It’s not easy—but it will make all the difference.
FraGEElay
Originally posted on December 24, 2012
Thanks to A Christmas Story, I can never see the word “fragile” without pronouncing it fraGEElay in my head. And on this Christmas Eve, things can indeed be fragile…huge ToDo lists…family gatherings…full schedules…exhausted parents trying to provide the “perfect” Christmas for their kids…It can get messy and broken pretty quickly. So as you would with fragile things, be gentle.
Though I have plenty of dysfunctional memories of this time of year (don’t we all?), I have so many lovely ones, too. Thankfully, the memories of things like my mom threatening to have Santa pass over our house if we weren’t asleep in two minutes (no pressure!) are far outnumbered with ones like having my dad read Santa Mouse to us, sledding with cousins, and counting Christmas trees in the windows during any nighttime car ride.
Another favorite memory of mine is the placing of the baby Jesus in the manger of our Nativity scene on Christmas Eve. We knew Christmas had really come when that happened. And for any who may be reading this who don’t hold Christmas as a time to feel the blessings of the birth of the Christ child, I hope you’re cool with my wishing all a Merry Christmas (AND happy holidays).
I wish everyone blessings…and if life is not treating you gently, I pray you have people in your life who do. Or at least love you as they help you pick up the pieces.
thejugglestruggle.net 