The Blessings of Christmas versus “Agony of Christmas”
As we draw near to celebrating The Birth of Jesus I was a little perplexed to see a show on the TV titled the “Agony of Christmas.” I thought at first, in the advertising lead up to it, that it was a comedy. Indeed you could see within the show the comical side of life. But the show also held a strong element of Truth in it as we experience life in relation to Christmas. The pain of broken relationships which can leave people on their own perhaps welcome with one side of the family, but not all welcome with the other side.
The confusion as to who the children will spend Christmas with. The unwritten law that sits within our psyche as we must love our family members at least for a few hours even if we truthfully don’t get on with them at all. For those that are grieving the loss of a loved one, Christmas seems to bring about an intensity of any emotional pain held within.
Then there is the conflict of religious beliefs that happen within the families. “You’re not going to Church on Christmas day?” The mixed messages that come within society as to what Christmas is about. The stress of shopping for the perfect gift. All of these emotions and thoughts are stimulated every year and many people struggle with the event. Some people respond to it with a passion that is almost a little crazy while others simply refuse to be involved in what is adhered to as the “Silly Season.”
I think there are very few people that are able to enter into this time of the year without experiencing an intensity of emotions that hold some sadness or human emotion. And it is important to give some time to those emotions acknowledging them fully. But I like to dwell on the powerful message which is given to all, of us as we remember the delightful movie of Pollyanna. A small girl with much reason to be sad, but her strength was to carry on the message of living with her deceased father’s teaching and that was “to be glad.” We all know the phrase to “Be thankful” which can be really difficult when our emotions and thoughts are screaming else wise. But “to be glad” is a little more action orientated.
The emotional sadness still remains but to’ be glad” its like opening up a Treasure Chest. And as I, in the past, talk about Magenta “love in small in small things” we start to open up a creative energy within us, a grounded way of expressing love to each other and opening within a powerful conduit, and within that is the opening for the fruits of the spirit to flow and somehow we discover even a little thread of Joy or at least Peace.
Is it not the essence of Christmas that, no mater what spiritual beliefs or lack of beliefs you have, it really doesn’t matter. Christmas is a time in which society gives us all the opportunity to open our hearts and allow the love to flow. To me, that is where the great message of Pollyanna’s comes in, “Be glad.”
I would like to finish of with “there is a quiet light that shines in every heart” quote by Donohue. May that light shine brightly within your heart and allow any sadness or any unprocessed pain to be held within the Love. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.