Christmas Madness

As I previously pointed out, Christmas can be a very stressful time of year. Christmas madness can become Christmas sadness for those who have lost loved ones or are struggling to make ends meet. A lot of people talk about holiday cheer but when I'm driving in the mall parking lot I'm sure not seeing it. People are awfully angry in traffic. Everyone is in a hurry to get nowhere.

A lot of it is because of the added stress. Unrealistic expectations compounded with the hustle and bustle makes it easy to forget the purpose and lose the spirit of Christmas. I started off feeling it this year but then things went to sh*t and I said that's it, I'm not celebrating Christmas at all this year. Families can be the source of our greatest joy and our greatest sorrow. Christmas brings all of that to a head. Sometimes it's easier to just let it all pass you by.

Times like this I think of the poem Desiderata: "Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence." It's not possible to be on good terms with everyone because a friend of the world is an enemy to God. So remember what joy there is in healthy boundaries. Despite the difficulties and the frustrations of the moment, remember there still is beauty in the world if you know where to look for it. Aspire to something higher. Peace.