Yes, it’s that time of year. Again. Our favorite season to love and criticize.
It starts with Thanksgiving. The joy, but also the annoyances. The delicious food. And with that, the impending weight gain. And still for some, the impending family bickers. A taste of what’s to come on Christmas, Hanukkah; the winter holiday.
We get annoyed at parking. At the rush of people buying gifts at malls or getting food at stores. The intense honking and grimaced faces in the long lines buying ham.
But I rather look forward to this time of year. And not because I have the perfect family, or because I love getting my parking spot stolen at the local Trader Joe’s.
I look forward to it because I see people that never seem to come out of the woodwork except during holiday. I also see grimaced faces and relish the thought of giving them my cart to be nice. Perhaps I’ll even let them pass in front of me in line.
Because it is in the midst of mayhem that simple kindnesses are most needed. And appreciated.
Now, it’s not that I get instant smiles and thank-you’s from the grinches of holiday. But I really believe it is a seed for joy to grow within…
I am grateful for my messy local human family. To get out there and buy all that food to share with the people that maybe raised them and even those annoying siblings that are too nosy. They are your nosy family.
I’m grateful for the full parking lots of stressed out cars so that I can let the people walk crosswalks even though a spot, yup, it just opened up and someone is about to – I mean, just beat me to it…
But those people had already waited 3 cars to go…
And I know I’m not the only one.
Because when I walk about with rose-colored lenses, the world does indeed, look rose-colored. I notice how others are more willing to be kind and give me the last jar of jelly, or help me pick up that ham with my bad back.
Or give me their Brussels sprouts recipe, right there, while people rush by us, because I bothered to ask them why they had the unique stash of ingredients in their cart.
Plus, the kids get to enjoy this time of year too. Because if we make it stressful for ourselves, our kids are going to end up hating this time of year and only focus on the presents or the food. And isn’t that kind of defeating the purpose?
So this holiday, before it even starts, with this first event happening in November, let’s set the intention towards bringing small sparks of joy to others during the mayhem. And when you do, you too will find joy even in long lines, crazy family members, and happily gained extra pounds!
