Stop...

and take a moment to look around. This time of year that gets increasingly more and more difficult but give it a try. Today no doubt you’ll be running around trying to finish up last minute Christmas shopping, meal preparation, wrapping, family gatherings, and a whole slew of other things too numerous to mention here.
Stop and think about why you’re going through all of the trouble. Maybe this is the most important time of the year for you in regards to your religion. Maybe you have this one time every year to show those you care about how much they mean to you. Maybe you just feel obligated to do all of these things because everyone else is.

Whatever your reasoning for doing these things, take the time to stop and let it all soak in. Don’t get impatient with the cashier who is taking too long to check you out. Chances are they’ve been working all day every day since Thanksgiving. The elderly couple in front of you in the mall walking too slowly. Don’t take out your deadlines on them. If they are walking too slowly, politely go around them. The bell ringers out in front of stores asking for donations are just doing their job. They do it every day in order to help people that are less fortunate than you and me. It’s a known fact that traffic is horrendous this time of year. Know that before you leave your house. Allow that extra time. Getting somewhere quickly isn’t worth getting in an accident.

I’m sorry if this sounds too preachy to some of you. I’ve just noticed that as we get older the magic of Christmas starts to wear off and we become increasingly more and more put out by the thought of the holidays. Don’t lose that magic. Hold on to it. Commit a random act of kindness today. Believe in Santa…I do. Till next time. Have a Merry Christmas y’all.