Here we are, six weeks into Autumn. The plants and trees that we have here in Southern California that change colors are doing so, beautifully, and in other parts of the country there is a wonderland of Fall colors decorating the landscape. Our lives, also, are becoming more colorful thanks to the seeming slowing of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This time of year is host to a bounty of holiday celebrations around the world. Here in America, the major holidays begin with Halloween, then Thanksgiving, followed by Christmas and New Year. Although Christmas and New Year are officially in Winter, when we talk about “this time of year” we lump these four celebrations together within the same period.
Halloween is when we get to see children (and some of the parents) dressed in fun costumes and gaily going from door to door collecting their treats, smiling and laughing, and bringing the joy of the event to us. It is heartening to see this train of Divine expressions living in the moment and sharing their joy with us.
Thanksgiving, in addition to bringing joy, fun, and decorations, brings with it that feeling of gratitude for which it is named. Families gather to enjoy a feast, spend time together, and give thanks for the many blessings of the year.
Christmas brings us a heightened awareness of the Christ Consciousness that is the basis of all creation, and the expression of which is the sole purpose of all life. Although this awareness, lately, is often buried under a mountain of consumerism, materialism, and rote gift-giving I would like to think that the message of Christmas still shines through.
New Year’s resolutions, in their purest form, are the promises for positive change that we make to ourselves in order to become better people in the coming year. This is a ritual of hope for the new calendar year, with a wish that life will get better for us.
I really enjoy these holidays and I know that many others enjoy them, also. This is truly a great time of year! The best thing, though, is that we do not have to leave behind the joy, gratitude, happiness, and spiritual fulfillment that we experience during this period. Let’s not allow these things to diminish! Let’s carry them in our hearts and minds throughout the year. These qualities are God’s gifts to us. To laugh, to love, and to be grateful for every moment, year-round, is our gift to God. What greater gift exchange could there be?
Happy holidays!