Thoughts on Christmas
Remember when you were a kid and you made those paper link chains and each day left until Christmas was represented by a paper link? How going to bed was almost a treat because it meant that you could wake up and tear off one more link in the morning… that Christmas, was one day closer.
It seems like forever ago. When you’re a kid, Christmas revolves around you and it’s amazing. The rituals of where you go, when you go and what you get, all laid out each and every year. It’s magical.
But then you get older. Christmas stops being about you. Stops being about your presents, your expectations and your schedule. And it starts becoming about; your spouse, your kids, and your friends. Instead of counting down the days till Christmas with each day taking years to pass, Christmas sneaks up on you like a thief.
If you're not careful it can lose it's luster. But I don't think it has to be that way. We can still enjoy it.
Of course, it takes more discipline to enjoy Christmas as an adult and a change of expectations, but it’s worth it. It’s worth it to allow the attention to drift off of you and onto someone else. To share a gift with someone and to just do something nice for someone else. I know I need to learn this more and practice it even more then that.
Also, I just finished my paper link chain till the next Christmas… took me forever.
Enjoy this day,
Matt
2 comments:
thanks for your thoughts. if you haven't yet, check out patrick dodson's book on relationships, particularly the chapter "flow", where he talks about growing from a "getter" to a "giver".
what did you do this christmas to shift focus onto someone else?
When I'm back in the States I will look into getting his book. I love all his sessions that I have here. To be honest he's impacted a lot of the way I view things.
As a parent it's nice, because you automatically have the focused shifted off of you. But I think as the girls get older I would like to do more for people outside of our family. Like make cookies as a family and give them out or even visit some places here where love is needed. Thanks for the comment Brent!
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